Neil Lennon is looking for his Bolton side to dominate their local rivals from the first whistle as he takes Wanderers to face Preston North End on Saturday evening.
The first meeting between the sides for 14 years takes the form of a relegation battle, with Preston five places above last-placed Bolton, who are still yet to win away from home.
And Lennon knows that his players cannot be cowed if they are to get anything from what is sure to be a feisty encounter.
“Both clubs are down around the mix, so it’s an important game, not just because it’s a derby,” he said.
“In a derby you have to impose yourselves – I know a little bit about them from my time in Glasgow, there’s a small one up there that I played in a few times!
“I don’t want to be pragmatic, I want to attack, I want to create chances, I want us to put teams under pressure, and I think that’s important even in a derby.
“You have to impose yourselves individually and collectively, and I think that it’s important that we start the game well on Saturday.
“It’ll be a great occasion – the first time in a while that we’re playing Preston, a Saturday night under the lights, which adds that bit of extra spice.”
Despite a run of one win in 13 games, and no victory since September 12, Bolton remain only two points from safety, such is the nature of the SkyBet Championship.
With that in mind, Lennon is keen to convey to his players that the situation is far from irretrievable, and a run of positive results, starting tomorrow, could see them motor up the table.
“You can only be one result from it all snowballing in your favour; we were in this position this time last year and I’m still very motivated,” he said.
“I’m not down at all about things; I find this part of my career a huge motivational challenge to me, and I’m determined to get that right.
“I’m not feeling any pressure and I’m not getting any from upstairs, whilst the fans have been very supportive.
“The only pressure is that which comes from me, in the old grey matter.
“I don’t like this position that we’re in but I find this a huge challenge for me personally and part of my management experience and I want to make the most of it.”
Image courtesy of BWFC via YouTube, with thanks.
