Bolton v Ipswich: Don’t be fooled, Bolton are still a dangerous side.

So says Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy ahead of his side’s game at The Reebok Stadium this afternoon.

Having lost 1-0 at home to the surprise league-leaders Burnley last weekend, the Blues today face the Championship’s surprise strugglers.

Dougie Freedman’s side are just a point above the drop zone having failed to record a win at home from six attempts this season, scoring just five goals in those matches.

On paper this looks like a golden opportunity for the Blues to get their own monkey off their backs. Although the performance levels have been good on the road, they have yet to taste victory – losing narrowly at the newly-relegated trio of Reading, QPR and Wigan and drawing at Birmingham, Derby and Sheffield Wednesday after leading on all three occasions.

Asked about Bolton, now in their second season in the Championship following relegation, McCarthy said: “They are always a threat because they’ve got such good players.

“I was asked last year, when they were struggling, was I surprised where they are? I had to say no because you never know what affect getting relegated from the Premier League has.

“However, having achieved the results they did at the back end of last season, almost surging into the play-offs, they did look like they were going to kick on. So yes, I am now surprised where they are this year.

“I won’t be taking them lightly though because I think they’re a real threat and on any given day I think they could beat anybody with that squad they’ve got.

“I’ve seen a few of their games. There have been a few where you think ‘how have they not won that?’ In other games they’ve just been fairly ordinary.

“There isn’t much between any of the teams in this division. It often comes down to a moment of luck or a little moment of craft and guile.”

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