Sunderland snatch all three points with a hard fought victory over Bolton who perhaps may feel the should have got something out of the game having a lot of the play in the second half.

Sunderland wrap up the game thanks to Murphy who got on the end of a Jones flick on, Murphy using his strength to hold of Guthrie before firing it past Jaaskelaienen at a tight angle.

The fourth official indicates their will be three minutes of added on time, nervous times for Sunderland.

Diouf is booked in the same incident to the delight of the Sunderland fans.

McShane is booked after a coming together with Diouf where there was a bit of handbags between the two players.

Kevin Nolan is brought off who has been in the wars today and on comes Ramos Ivan Campo

Gardner gets in a cross which is headed away by Leadbitter gaian but Sunderland can't clear it as O'Breien swings in another cross before Collins heads it away.

Diouf takes a freekick from a similar position he scored from but this time Sunderland do deal with it, Leadbitter heading it upfield.

Diouf floats in a corner which McCann flicks on towards Anelka but out comes Gordon to claim with a great catch.

Diouf puts a hanging cross into the penalty area which creates mayhem in the box but the linesman waves his flag indicating a foul as Sunderland survive anther scare.

Bolton are beginning to attack in waves and are forcing Sunderland to sit very deep at the minute, Bolton looking more and more likely to get an equaliser.

Stelios Giannakopoulos comes on and off comes Kevin Davies.

Kieran Richardson who is brought off to a standing ovation to be replaced by Roy O'Donovan

Miller curls in a freekick from the right which Leadbitter can only send straight up into the air before Davies can head it away.

Davies goes into the referee's book after bringing down Leadbitter with a tackle from behind.

Bolton have a double chance with a cross coming in from Guthrie which finds Anelka whose shot is blocked by McShane but the rebound falls to Diouf who tries to curl it home but can only send it past the right hand post.

Whitehead slides a ball through the Bolton defence for Jones who tries to curl the ball home while under pressure from Meite but can't keep the shot down, bending it over the bar.

Sunderland make a change of their own with Daryl Murphy coming on for Andrew Cole

Jlloyd Samuel is brought off after not having the best of games and is replaced by Danny Guthrie.

Cole does well to bring down a high ball which he lays off to Leadbitter, the substitutes effort is blocked well though by Joey O'Brien who throws himself infront of the shot.

Diouf floats in a corner from the left looking for Anelka but Leadbitter heads it away from danger as Bolton begin to press.

Diouf gets down the left and floats in a cross for Anelka which the Frenchman manages to make contact with but its straight at Gordon who saves easily.

Richardson takes the resulting corner but it doesn't beat the first man at the near post and as Cole tries to get of the end of it he fouls O'Brien.

Richardson gets away from McCann down the left and cuts inside before unleashing a vicious shot a goal from 25 yards which forces Jaaskelainen to tip the ball over the bar for a corner.

Grant Leadbitter comes on to replace Michael Chopra.

Sunderland get the second half underway hoping to maintain their lead and possibly escape the bottom three this afternoon.

A decent first half is drawn to a close with Bolton just starting to get back into the game towards the end of the first 45, Sunderland deserving their lead though.

Diouf takes another corner towards the near post where Whitehead meets it with a good header to clear it away.

Sunderland fail to clear the previous corner and the ball eventually finds Gardner who strikes it towards goal with a low drive but it just bends away from goal, not troubling Gordon.

Diouf takes Bolton's first corner of the game, floating it into the penalty area where Collins meets it to head it away.

Bolton pull on back thanks to Diouf who fizzed in a freekick from wide on the left which seemed to get a touch off Davies before nestling into the back of the net but replays show the ball went straight in, fortunate goal for Bolton.

Miller whips in another freekick from the right, sending it low into the penalty area but this one is dealt with by O'Brien who heads it upfield.

Richardson drills in a freekick from wide on the right which flies towards goalbut just can't quiet dip in time and ends up on the roof of the Bolton net.

Miller whips in another cross from a freekick on the left but this time can't create as much as havoc as he did before, McCann nodding it away from danger.

Jones doubles Sunderland's lead from the corner which Richardson took, Jones getting above his marker and heading it past Jaaskelainen to notch up his fifth goal of the season.

Miller floats in a freekick from the left which Jaaskelainen is forced to push over his crossbar as it looks like it could be dipping in.

A very scrappy affair, both sides failing to create chances when they get into the final third of the field through a catalogue of errors.

Nolan and Etuhu are back on, Nolan sporting a large white bandage around his head.

Nasty clash of heads between Etuhu and Nolan results in both of the players needing to come off for stiches meaning both teams are down to 10 men for a while.

Richardson curls in a freekick from the right looking for the run of Higginbottom but Jaaskelainen is out well to claim the ball.

Chopra strikes a freekick from 25 yards out, sending it low towards the bottom corner where a diving Jaaskelainen is forced to palm it away for O'Brien who boots it upfield.

Kieran Richardson is booked for over celebrating his first goal for the club.

Kieran Richardson scores on his return to the side after great work by Jones who went on a mazy solo run through the Bolton defence before slipping it through for Richardson on the left who takes his chance first time, placing it into the top corner.

Richardson whips in a nice ball from the left for the waiting Etuhu in the penalty area but its a bad first touch from the midfielder as it bounces of his chest and out of play for a goal kick.

O'Brien gets forward to an attacking position where the centre-back can square the ball across the penalty area for Davies who is blocked very well on the edge of the six yard box with a great tackle from Collins.

Long ball forward to Anelka from Meite which the Frenchman manages to flick on but the striker is isolated up front on his own and McShane can just let it roll back to Gordon.

Sunderland controlling the game at the minute, just knocking it about but so far failing to really penetrate the Bolton back line.

Referee Phil Dowd gets the game underway here at the Stadium of Light knowing that a win over their relegation rivals would be crucial. Bolton kick-off.

Bolton XI: Jaaskelainen, Samuel, Meite, Andrew O'Brien, Gardner, Joey O'Brien, McCann, Nolan, Diouf, Anelka, Davies

Bolton make three changes from the side that lost at Everton on Boxing Day with Jlloyd Samuel, Joey O’Brien and Gavin McCann coming into the starting eleven in place of Campo, Guthrie and Hunt.

Sunderland XI: Gordon, Whitehead, McShane, Higginbotham, Collins, Miller, Richardson, Etuhu, Chopra, Cole, Jones

Sunderland welcome back Liam Miller from suspension but are still without Nosworthy and Anderson with their respective injuries. Kieran Richardson comes back into the starting line-up after coming on against Manchester United on Boxing Day.