- Bolton Wanderers have won 12, drawn six, and lost only one of their 19 League One 2025-2026 home matches.
- Stockport County have won seven, drawn five, and lost seven of their 19 away league matches.
Wanderers to hold the edge in a tough test
This Greater Manchester derby should be more interesting than usual due to the importance of the points on offer for both sides’ promotion chases.
Bolton Wanderers sit third in the table with 66 points from 39 matches, while Stockport County occupy fifth spot with 63 from 38 games.
Wanderers boss Steven Schumacher has instilled a patient, possession-based style of play on the Trotters, who are just as happy to build up from the back as they are to play through their pivots and wide men when they have the ball in the middle third. They will attempt to control the game against County, who should be coming at them in numbers.
Stockport are an exciting, high-press team
Dave Challinor’s side do not play any other way than with a high tempo, counter-pressing and overloading in the centre of the field where they are strong with wingbacks. County have a high line, and can be devastating when they transition from defence to attack at pace.
Challinor’s men have won only seven of their 19 road games this season, so they are not that reliable away from home, although they are certainly in good form overall having taken four points from their last three away matches (W1 D1 L1).
Burstow and Norwood could be key
Mason Burstow’s 11 goals in 38 League One appearances this season would be a good return for many teams’ centre-forward.
Oliver Norwood has provided a boost up top for Stockport with three goals in the last five games as they have scored eight times in that run. Johnny Kenny has been a creative spark for Bolton, registering three assists in their last five matches where the team has scored nine times.
County’s Kyle Wootton has been a real threat with 18 goals in 38 League One matches this campaign and they will be licking their lips at the chance of getting on the end of the long balls that Schumacher’s team will send forward in order to stretch County out of their own half.
Schumacher’s side should edge it
Stockport County beat Bolton 2-0 at home in the most recent head-to-head between these two sides and have won three of the previous four. However, there is something about this derby that suits them and there is a feeling they might nick this one, but Bolton are still the right price at 1/1 to get a win.
Schumacher’s men are more versatile tactically than most teams in this league and they can be a real problem to break down, as many opponents have found to their cost this term. The home side will be able to handle the intensity that County will bring to this match and they can wear down the visitors for a vital victory.
Stockport’s overall away form has not been great and they average 1.21 goals per game scored and 1.37 conceded away from home in League One 2025-2026, so we are taking them to score just once against the division’s meanest defence at the back - Bolton have conceded at the rate of just 0.79 per game and only 15 times at Toughsheet Community Stadium.
