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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
John McDougall

Dion Charles called up for Northern Ireland as Bolton players face internationals & Portsmouth impact

Bolton Wanderers are poised to take on Portsmouth towards the end of March.

Wanderers are set to host Pompey at the University of Bolton Stadium on Saturday, March 26, in League One.

Ian Evatt's men lost the reverse clash at Fratton Park 1-0 at the end of October and will be seeking to make amends in the upcoming meeting.

READ MORE: Ian Evatt gives Marlon Fossey knee injury Bolton Wanderers update and bold Ricardo Santos claim

Not only that, but both sides harbour hopes of reaching the play-offs, though Pompey's chances are greater than Bolton's after the weekend's action.

Wanderers suffered a 1-0 loss at home to Plymouth Argyle which has left them 10 points adrift of the top six with eight games of their season remaining.

Danny Cowley's side meanwhile picked up a point on the road against Ipswich Town, which leaves them seven points from the play-offs, but crucially, Pompey have two games in hand over several of their rivals in their bid to make the top six.

Pompey can narrow that gap when they take on the Pilgrims tomorrow evening in a big clash in the race for the play-offs, before hosting Wycombe Wanderers over the weekend.

Wanderers meanwhile travel to take on bottom club Crewe Alexandra this weekend, before the planned meeting against Portsmouht on March 26.

That game will take place during the international break, where the Premier League and Championship take a break while League One and League Two typically carry on.

Games in the third and fourth tiers do get postponed, however, due to players being called up by their countries, with at least three call-ups for one side leading to it being eligible for applying for a game to be played at another time.

Wanderers are selling tickets for the clash but have included a disclaimer stating that the date is subject to change owing to international fixtures and subsequent player call-ups, raising question marks over the game going ahead on its current intended date.

It should be become clear in the next week or so if the game will go ahead as planned on March 26 or if it will have to be rearranged for a midweek encounter as international squads are named.

And from a Wanderers perspective, there are a few members of the squad who are facing the prospect of being called up for their international teams.

After his January transfer window move from Accrington Stanley has seen him bag six goals, Dion Charles has now been called up by Northern Ireland for upcoming friendlies versus Luxembourg and Hungary.

Fellow striker Jon Dadi Bodvarsson could represent Iceland for fixtures against Finland and Spain, while Manchester City loanee James Trafford could be called up once again for England-under 20s.

Trafford was part of the last England squad in November and Andy Edwards' side have matches against Poland and Germany coming up.

If all three were to be called up, then that would mean the three player threshold would be reached and the game could be postponed and rearranged for a later date, which would likely be a midweek fixture at some point in April.

Josh Sheehan would be a contender to be in the Wales squad, but the midfielder's season is over as he continues his recovery from an ACL injury.

READ MORE: 'How he has to be' - Manchester United legend Paul Scholes aim given for Bolton Wanderers ace

READ MORE: MJ Williams gives Bolton Wanderers dressing room view of League One play-offs state of play

For more news about Bolton Wanderers, click here

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