'All we can do is pray' - Bolton sweat on key duo's fitness ahead of Portsmouth visit - including hugely-respected defender who struggled massively against Kusini Yengi

Bolton are sweating over the fitness of two key players ahead of Pompey’s trip to the Toughsheet Community Stadium on Saturday.

Defensive lynchpin Ricardo Santos and midfield ‘quarterback’ Josh Sheehan are both doubts for the fixture that could have a huge bearing on both side’s promotion ambitions. That’s left Trotters boss Ian Evatt ‘praying to the stars’ in the hope that he won’t be forced to reshuffle his pack for such a crucial match-up.

Much rests on the game, with Pompey potentially able to book promotion and the League One title if they beat third-placed Bolton on their home turf - that depends on whether nearest challengers Derby drop points at Wycombe on Wednesday night, though. For Saturday’s hosts, anything bar a win will impact their ability to leapfrog the Rams and claim that second automatic promotion place with just three games remaining. Derby are currently one point better off.

Rookie Pompey striker Kusini Yengi enjoyed huge success against Santos, who is considered one of the best defenders in the third tier, when the two sides met at Fratton Park in December - a game Pompey won 2-0. Despite that, the giant centre-half remains a key cog in the Bolton machine and has 32 league starts under his belt this season. Yet he’s a doubt ahead of the weekend after aggravating a calf issue he’s been managing since the end of January.

Santos suffered the setback in the Trotters’ win at Bristol Rovers last time out. He finished the game at the Memorial Stadium but is now receiving treatment on the injury ahead of the Blues’ visit to the north west.

It’s a similar picture for Sheehan, who was withdrawn on 77 minutes against Rovers with a hamstring injury. It’s an issue that’s plagued the 29-year-old in recent weeks, preventing him from completing the full 90 minutes in each of Bolton’s past three games. The Welshman is a contender to be named the Trotters’ player of the season - yet injury could prevent him from cementing his claim for that honour.

Bolton have options if both players fail in their bids to be fit. Although, both Caleb Taylor and Aaron Morley have little game time in their legs ahead of such an important game. That’s probably why Evatt was praying for some luck at the final whistle at Rovers on Saturday.

He told the Bolton News: ‘There are one or two worrying things in terms of injuries, with Rico’s calf and Josh’s hamstring. We will have to see how they are.

‘All we can do is pray to the stars and fingers crossed, it is not bad news.’

Bolton welcomed back keeper Nathan Baxter for the game in Bristol following a wrist injury, while Randall Williams came off the bench for his first game since mid-March. Taylor’s cameo was also his maiden appearance since suffering ankle ligament damage in February.

Dion Charles and Gethan Jones  remain sidelined but are closing in on their returns - and could be involved against Pompey.

The table-topping Blues will definitely be without Regan Poole, Alex Robertson, Tom McIntyre, Terry Devlin, Joe Morrell and Anthony Scully for the game.