Bolton Wanderers vs Stoke City — match summary
England · Championship · kick-off 10 Oct 2026 21:00
Full time · score 1-2
pPS pre-match readiness (0-100): Bolton Wanderers 49 · Stoke City 27
mPS in-play performance (0-100): Bolton Wanderers 52 · Stoke City 44
Shots on target 5-4 · corners 10-4 · possession 68-32
NextGOAL tip: Stoke City (level) · 2 stars
Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City meet in the Championship, with the hosts sitting 15th and needing points to climb out of the lower zone, while the visitors in 8th are chasing the top group. Bolton have just won 4-3 in their latest match, while Stoke won 2-1, so this is a meeting between two teams coming off good results. Bolton have won their last two but before that lost three in a row, including a 0-4 defeat where the defence fell apart. The attack still offers something, but the defence has already conceded 15 goals in 8 matches. Stoke, meanwhile, are unbeaten in 5 and have won their last two by the same 1-1, 2-1, 2-1 scoreline - a pattern that says this team rarely loses its footing but also doesn't blow opponents away. According to the expected line-ups, Bolton will likely set up 4-2-3-1 with Sam Dalby as the lone striker and Joshua Sheehan and Ethan Erhahon controlling the midfield. Stoke are expected to use a 3-4-3 that emphasises defensive solidity and uses Ben Johnson and Eric Junior Bocat to push forward from the flanks. If Stoke City control the midfield and don't leave gaps for Bolton to counter into, the game should end with the visitors avoiding defeat and having a chance to take points home.