Carlisle vs Bolton Prediction (27.01.2024)

Carlisle host Bolton on Saturday afternoon in League One, a game that has implications at both the top and bottom of the table. Carlisle are in the relegation zone, looking for every point they can find as they look to survive, while Bolton are in need of points for their automatic promotion push.

The Carlisle team we are seeing now is very different from the one that started the season, thanks to American investment in the club. Had they started with this squad, I think they stay up easily. I saw them play a couple of weeks ago, and should have been three or four up in the first ten minutes. If they can sort out their finishing, this is a team that can genuinely survive this season.

But the current picture isn't great. They are in 23rd, 10 points off safety and with three losses in a row, including the game I saw them play. Their most recent was a 2-1 loss at Barnsley, they've also lost to Oxford and Exeter, so two out of those three have been against sides in the promotion race.

Bolton are a real promotion contender this season, but I am yet to see them at their very best, and that's especially being the case recently. They're in 3rd at the moment, two points off top, and with games in hand on both teams above them, if I had to choose a league winner right now, I would pick Bolton.

They won 1-0 against Cheltenham on Tuesday, but really struggled in that, and were out played in parts, it was a scrappy win, rather than complete dominance, which it should have been. Before that, a disappointing away loss at Leyton Orient, so I do think there are ways to attack Bolton right now.

Bolton are the better team here, but they're nowhere near what I think is their best right now, and look vulnerable. Carlisle are getting there, slowly, and I think they can get something from this game. They look great value to avoid defeat, so I'm backing them on the double chance market, covering a home win or the draw.