Chris Forino-Joseph possesses the strongest duel success rate in the entire EFL this season, a key factor behind Bolton Wanderers' recent resurgence. The defender's 79.3% win rate in 50-plus duels tops a list of 645 players, providing a solid foundation for a team that has won three of its last four Championship matches. That run has lifted Bolton to 15th place with 14 points from 11 games, a record of four wins, two draws and five losses. The Trotters now sit nine points behind leaders Swansea in the Championship table.
This Saturday's league meeting with Southampton is the first between the sides since April 2005. Southampton are winless in their last seven league games against Bolton, a run that includes a 0-0 draw just last week. That stalemate at St Mary's on Saturday 17 October was part of a recent run of three wins, one draw and one loss for Bolton. Bolton have also won their last two league visits to St Mary's, most recently a 2-1 victory in August 2004.
Historical context of the fixture
Since that last Premier League encounter, the clubs have followed divergent paths. Southampton dropped to League One before returning to the top flight, while Bolton spent a season in League Two in 2020-21. Their recent form of three wins, one draw and one loss shows a clear upturn, having matched in four games the number of victories they managed across their prior 16 league outings. This sequence includes a thrilling 4-3 win at Norwich and a 3-1 victory at Wolves, where Sam Dalby, the club's top scorer with four goals this season, was on target.
Southampton's current form
Russell Martin's Southampton side have led in 41.9% of their Championship matches this term, the highest percentage in the division. They present a stern test for Ian Evatt's men, who have conceded 18 goals so far this season while scoring 15.
The original report is at BBC Sounds
