Arsenal need Bolton win to ease Wenger pressure

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Arsenal need Bolton win to ease Wenger pressure

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Arsenal need a victory against Bolton on Saturday to relieve the pressure on Arsene Wenger.

23 September,2011 02:25 am

With just four points from five Premier League matches, Arsenal needs a victory against Bolton on Saturday to relieve the pressure on Arsene Wenger, who is facing the biggest crisis of his 15-year managerial reign.Arsenal has struggled against teams from the northwest this season losing to Liverpool and Blackburn and suffering an 8-2 mauling by Manchester United and Boltons notoriously physical approach should provide another tough test at the Emirates.England players Owen Hargreaves of Manchester City and Liverpools Steven Gerrard could make league comebacks after injury as second-placed City hosts Everton, while the Reds face Wolverhampton Wanderers.Also Saturday, leader Manchester United travels to Stoke, and third-placed Chelsea hosts Swansea.Arsenals worse start to a league season in 58 years has mostly been blamed on a porous defense that has conceded 14 goals in five league matches.The miserable opening has prompted the first serious murmuring of fans unrest during Wengers tenure.Speaking after Arsenals 3-1 victory over Shrewsbury in the third round of the League Cup, the Arsenal manager said he wasnt bothered by all this speculation at all.Arsenal signed Germany defender Per Mertesacker and Brazil full back Andre Santos on transfer deadline day but neither has convinced.Mertesacker looked slow on the turn and Andre Santos was badly positioned for both Blackburns goals as Arsenal twice relinquished the lead in Saturdays 4-3 loss at Ewood Park.Bolton has problems of its own ahead of the trip to the Emirates Stadium. Manager Owen Coyle has overseen four straight league defeats since a 4-0 opening-day win at Queens Park Rangers.Coyle said he would leave it late before deciding whether to include Stuart Holden in his squad after the US midfielder returned from six months out with a fractured left leg in the League Cup win at Aston Villa on Tuesday.Manchester City midfielder Owen Hargreaves faces a tough task breaking into Roberto Mancinis starting line-up for the visit of Everton.Hargreaves was forced to post videos on YouTube to prove his fitness after being sidelined for three years with knee problems, but he crowned his City debut with a goal in the 2-0 League Cup win against Birmingham on Wednesday.Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will be hoping to help his club arrest a slump of two straight league defeats 1-0 at Stoke and 4-0 at Tottenham when Wolves visit Anfield.Gerrard returned from a six-month groin injury in the Reds League Cup win at Brighton.Manchester United will attempt to make it six wins out of six with a trip to Stoke City and may have England defender Rio Ferdinand available for the trip to the Potteries.