Chelsea sealed the 2004/5 Premiership title at the Reebok Stadium and won there again in April, and Jose Mourinho is looking forward to returning once more.
“It is a very difficult game because Bolton will have a big boost to their morale after beating Arsenal,” Mourinho said. “But I can say it is my pitch, because it is the pitch where I was English champion for the first time and it is a pitch where we took a big step to becoming champions the next season.”
Mourinho has no new injury concerns. Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and Ricardo Carvalho came through Sunday’s draw at Old Trafford relatively unscathed, while Salomon Kalou is still out with a medial ligament injury.
Nicky Hunt is expected to feature for Sam Allardyce’s side after recovering from a hamstring injury sustained against Arsenal. Quinton Fortune will miss out after picking up an Achilles injury.
Since bringing Bolton back into the Premiership, Allardyce has taken 14 points from Arsenal, 12 from Liverpool and 8 from Manchester United. There has been just the one win over Chelsea, at Stamford Bridge in December 2003.
The Blues are unbeaten in five subsequent Premiership meetings, and have won their last three visits to the Reebok, all by a 0-2 margin.
