Football Bet of the Day: Bolton can control promotion rivals

League One’s top two sides go head-to-head when Bolton make the trip to Portsmouth on Monday night for what looks set to be a mouth-watering clash. Portsmouth have lost just one league match at Fratton Park this season, while Bolton have been beaten only once on the road.

Pompey were excellent 3-0 winners at Northampton last time out and the south coast side have the opportunity to stretch their lead at the top of the table to six points with a victory over their nearest challengers on Monday night.

Bolton haven’t played a League One match since the 28th of November with cup commitments having taken precedence, but the Totters can usurp Portsmouth at the top of the division if they can take three points at Fratton Park.

There are games across Europe’s top leagues on Monday night and there’s an interesting La Liga clash between Rayo Vallecano and Celta Vigo. Celta have won just one of their 15 Spanish top-flight matches this season, but Rayo’s home record doesn’t inspire confidence and that is a match that can be left alone from a betting point of view.

The best punting angle could come in the League One top-of-the-table contest between Portsmouth and Bolton. The Trotters have the opportunity to take over at the summit of the third tier with a victory at Fratton Park, and Ian Evatt’s men are unlikely to pass up the opportunity.

It was as recently as 2010 that these two sides were contesting a Premier League match, and while the top flight is still some distance away, promotion from League One has to be the target for Portsmouth and Bolton this season.

Bolton have looked an excellent side so far - Evatt’s men have won 13 of their last 15 matches and play progressive football.

The Trotters have hit 16 goals in their last five matches, hammered Harrogate 5-1 in the FA Cup, put seven past Exeter in the league and have hit the net 37 times in just 18 third-tier games - only Peterborough have scored more, but from two extra games.

Bolton’s approach is to dominate and control their opponents, and Evatt’s unwavering outlook has seen the Whites lose only three league games this campaign. The Trotters have conceded just four goals in their last 11 third-tier matches - keeping clean sheets in each of their last five - and that’s a measure of the superiority that Bolton are having over their opponents.

Portsmouth are a good side and John Mousinho’s men will certainly pose a threat at set-pieces. Pompey boast the third tier’s most potent attacking unit from set-plays – their XG of 10.30 more than twice that of Bolton’s 5.01 - but they will have to do it without 11-goal man Colby Bishop on Monday night.

The forward has picked up an ankle injury, and will miss this top-of-the-table clash, which could be a big blow to Portsmouth’s chances.

Bolton, who also have a game in hand over the leaders, are 9/5 to win at Fratton Park on Monday night and that looks a price worth taking.

Football Bet of the Day, with Betfred Insights