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Knight facing six weeks out


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Updated Feb 15, 2011 9:11 AM ET
Bolton boss Owen Coyle expects Zat Knight to be out for up to six weeks with the knee ligament injury he suffered in the Sunday's over Everton.
The 30-year-old damaged his right knee in a last-ditch tackle on Victor Anichebe during the first half of the 2-0 victory and was carried off on a stretcher.





Coyle admitted the news could easily have been worse but Knight has formed an impressive partnership with Gary Cahill and his loss is a setback for the Trotters.
Coyle said: "Zat suffered ligament damage. It's not as severe as we first thought but certainly bad enough to keep him out for a period of time. There's severe swelling in the area so I think we'll know better in seven to 10 days when that goes down.
"But I think it's fair to say he'll be four to six weeks, which is a terrible loss, first and foremost for Zat, because he's played every game for me since I came to the football club over a year ago.
"He's been outstanding as a player and as a man and the sooner we get him back the better. It is a blow, there's no doubt about it, and we wish him a speedy recovery."
Knight's injury opens the door for January signing David Wheater, who should now be given an extended run in the side, starting with Wednesday night's FA Cup fourth-round replay at Wigan.

Davies signs new Trotters deal


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Updated Feb 15, 2011 7:32 AM ET
Bolton midfielder Mark Davies has signed a contract extension which ties him to the Premier League club until the summer of 2015.
Davies, who joined Bolton from Wolves in January 2009, has emerged as a key player under manager Owen Coyle this season, making 25 appearances and scoring once.

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And the 22-year-old is delighted to have been rewarded with a new four-and-a-half-year deal.
He said: "'m really pleased to have signed a new contract.
"The football club has been good to me since I moved here two years ago and I'm really settled in the area. The manager believes in me and I feel like I'm part of his plans."
Coyle, whose side are eighth in the table and pushing for a Europa League spot, told the club's website: "Mark was already under contract but what this shows is that we are trying to build a football club for years to come.
"The nucleus is centred around young, exciting players and Mark certainly comes into that category.
"He is enjoying an extended run in the team at the moment and he is showing his qualities. To have a player of his ilk commit his long-term future to the football club is a tremendous boost."

Moyes bemoans 'bad' performance


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Updated Feb 14, 2011 9:44 AM ET
David Moyes was left devastated by Everton's 2-0 defeat at Bolton on Sunday and claimed it was the poorest performance by one of his teams.
Moyes looked drained after goals from Gary Cahill and Daniel Sturridge handed the home side a comfortable Premier League victory at the Reebok Stadium.




The Toffees boss said: "That performance was as bad as I can remember since I have been in charge.
"The toughness we have had I didn't think was there and it was required. We have been built on that quality.
"The onus was on us to get the ball down and we did not do that. We also didn't do the other bit which was compete hard enough.
"We did not perform. Players who have been performing well all season probably had their poorest game.
"I pick the players and I pick the team. Maybe I have just gone a bit soft on them. Maybe I need to toughen up on them again."
England defender Cahill opened the scoring in the 10th minute when his header from Stuart Holden's free-kick was deflected by Everton defender John Heitinga.
Sturridge then made it three goals in three games after arriving on loan from Chelsea by smashing the ball into the corner in the 67th minute.
Everton are only three points above the relegation zone but Moyes questioned the free-kick that led to the opening goal.

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He said: "We gave away two really poor goals. I do not think it was because Bolton opened us up. One was a free-kick, the other was another big kick in the box.
"I didn't think it was a free-kick. It was a scandalous decision. We didn't win the big challenges, which were important."
Bolton manager Owen Coyle was delighted his side returned to winning ways after five defeats in their previous seven league games.
He said: "It was a terrific performance and a hard-fought victory. We knew we would have to be at our best against Everton and we were. There were so many positives to take from the game.
"We had to withstand some spells of pressure because of the quality the opposition have, but I felt we looked a threat all day.
"We've had a little dip over Christmas and new year when we were down on numbers, sometimes having only 15 players.
"We managed to address that in the window and it is always great when the players you bring in play well."
The only downside for Coyle was a knee injury sustained by Zat Knight, which saw the defender replaced by David Wheater.
Coyle said: "He will need to have a scan but it does not look great. He was cheery enough when I saw him in the dressing room .
"It could be ligament damage to his knee but we hope it is not too severe because Zat has been outstanding for me since I arrived at the club. He is a big, big player for us."
Sturridge has made a flying start and Coyle said: "I am not surprised. These young players are just craving a platform to go and play.
"There are some terrific young talented players out there, most of them will be at the elite clubs. But there is no shame in not being in the Arsenal or Chelsea team.
"If I feel there are players who can benefit Bolton I will do everything in my power to bring them here."

Fulham 0-0 Chelsea


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Updated Feb 14, 2011 6:06 PM ET
Clint Dempsey missed a last-gasp penalty for Fulham as the Cottagers let their neighbours Chelsea escape with a 0-0 draw on Monday night.
Chelsea keeper Petr Cech guessed correctly to parry Dempsey's 93rd-minute spot-kick after another game to forget for new £50million Blues striker Fernando Torres.

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Torres missed four chances either side of half-time as champions Chelsea failed to climb back into the Premier League top four and they are now 12 points behind leaders Manchester United.
Manager Ancelotti axed Didier Drogba after he and Torres failed to ignite in the previous weekend's surprise defeat to Liverpool.
They were almost caught out again in the opening six minutes by a low Damien Duff cross but David Luiz - making his full debut - read the danger to beat Andy Johnson to the ball.
John Terry was thwarted by good pressure attempting to head Branislav Ivanovic's cross goalward, while there was also more than one blocked effort from the visitors.
Torres, though, was once more struggling to make an impact, with some of his many mistakes greeted by chants of 'What a waste of money' from the Fulham fans.
The in-form Duff surprised Cech in the 24th minute with a 30-yard effort the goalkeeper could only punch clear - the first save of any note.
Frank Lampard should have at least forced a second four minutes later when Chelsea's best move of the first half saw him sweep Ivanovic's low cross over the bar.
The latter was providing the only real width for the champions, whose next cross almost caught out a back-pedalling Mark Schwarzer moments after Florent Malouda's rising 25-yard attempt sailed just over.
Terry produced a vital glancing header at the other end before Ivanovic became the first player booked for tugging Moussa Dembele's shirt on the edge of - and arguably inside - the box.
Steve Sidwell soon followed for an ugly thigh-high lunge on Michael Essien.
With seconds of the half remaining, Torres saw two great chances to open his Chelsea account go begging, the first with the weakest of finishes after a strong run.
The second was gilt-edged, with the Spaniard's attempt to gather Luiz's glorious long ball simply horrible.
Ancelotti resisted the urge to turn to Drogba during the interval but Torres soon gave him cause to rue that decision by heading Ramires' pinpoint cross off target.

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Chelsea wasted another opportunity when they took an indirect free-kick too quickly after Schwarzer picked up a Danny Murphy backpass.
And Torres' misery deepened when he curled high and wide after being released by a fine Lampard pass.
Supportive chants from the visiting fans rained down on the misfiring Spaniard, but to no avail.
Torres was completely outshone by fellow new boy Luiz, with the 23-year-old by far the best player on the pitch as Chelsea began to dominate without finding the breakthrough.
Ancelotti made a change with 25 minutes remaining, rubbing salt into Drogba's wounds by sending on Salomon Kalou for Nicolas Anelka.
Malouda failed to capitalise on an inch-perfect Ashley Cole ball as Fulham held firm going into the final 20 minutes.
Luiz should have capped his performance with a goal when the Brazilian rose completely unmarked to nod Malouda's corner over the top moments before Drogba finally replaced Torres.
Fulham then became even more compact, bringing on Simon Davies for Johnson as Chelsea began to be restricted again to long-range efforts.
But Essien should have given them a 77th-minute lead when he mistimed his diving header from Lampard's dangerous cross and Drogba showed what Chelsea had been missing with a barnstorming run down the left and a ball his team-mates should have anticipated.
Dempsey almost made Chelsea pay when he pounced on a Terry error only to see his shot beaten away by Cech.
Fulham ran down the clock by introducing Eidur Gudjohnsen and Zoltan Gera for Murphy and Dembele before an jaw-dropping overhead-kick cross from Luiz was headed over by Kalou.
The changes revitalised the hosts and Davies glanced a cross from Gera - who was booked in stoppage time - over the top.
In the third and final minute of added time, Luiz was adjudged to have tripped Dempsey in the box.
The American blasted the resulting penalty goalward but Cech saved and Dempsey scissor-kicked the rebound over the top.