Police intervention may yet add to Roeder's problems

As if fighting a battle against relegation was not a big enough challenge, Glenn Roeder sends out his West Ham United team for another crucial match today knowing that the police may yet take action against two of his players after the mayhem that followed Saturday's defeat at Bolton Wanderers.

Although now at least six points from safety, victory for West Ham can rekindle their survival hopes by beating Middlesbrough at Upton Park, particularly if Bolton lose at Blackburn today and Leeds slip up at home to Fulham tomorrow.

However, Roeder will have to hope his players can concentrate on the task in hand rather than dwell on the incidents that led to Greater Manchester Police interviewing the West Ham manager, Bolton officials and Uriah Rennie, the referee, following Saturday's match at the Reebok Stadium.

Two West Ham players, Joe Cole and Rufus Brevett, have been reported to the Football Association after incidents at the end of the game. Cole punched Bolton's Bernard Mendy (although there is apparently no television footage of the incident), while Brevett is alleged to have been involved in an incident with a policeman in the tunnel.

It is understood that, following a plea by Roeder, the police decided – for the moment at least – only to inform the FA. However, if the police feel the FA does not act appropriately, they may yet act.

Bolton decided not to seek compensation for damage done to the tunnel – "things happen in the heat of the moment," the chairman, Phil Gartside, said – and are also playing down an incident that left their commercial manager, Andrew Dean, with a ripped shirt.

Roeder had the task yesterday of focusing his players on what he described as "a huge game" against Middlesbrough today. "We know how difficult it is going to be," he said. "We need help from other teams who play Bolton and must pick up points ourselves."

Bolton face a difficult task today against a Blackburn team still chasing a Uefa Cup place. Damien Duff, who has had hamstring problems, should be fit for Rovers, despite having been substituted at Old Trafford on Saturday, while Hakan Sukur may replace Dwight Yorke.

Birmingham, who have fitness doubts over Christophe Dugarry, Bryan Hughes and Stan Lazaridis, could secure their Premiership survival at home to Southampton, but Aston Villa, who may be without the injured Joey Gudjonsson, face a tough task at Newcastle, who need to rediscover their winning form if they are to secure a Champions' League place next season.

Liverpool, running back into European contention, welcome back Sami Hyypia after suspension for the visit of Charlton and hope a groin injury will not rule out Jerzy Dudek, their goalkeeper. Chelsea and Everton, two more European contenders, meet at Stamford Bridge.

In the First Division, Nottingham Forest may bring back David Johnson and Des Walker against Burnley as they seek to fend off Ipswich and Norwich, who are both still hoping to make the play-offs. Ipswich are at Rotherham, while Norwich entertain Wolves, another team defending a play-off place. Leicester and Portsmouth, who have secured promotion and now fight it out for the title, are respectively at home to Reading and away to Sheffield United, the two other teams in play-off spots.

The relegation picture could also be much clearer tonight as six of the bottom seven meet fellow strugglers. Brighton entertain Sheffield Wednesday, with both teams knowing that anything less than victory could all but end their survival hopes, while Coventry and Walsall can secure their First Division futures at the expense of Stoke and Grimsby respectively.