Kevin Nolan believes complacency is at the root of Wanderers Premiership problems.

The Bolton skipper admits the Whites lost the hard edge that was their stock in trade because they reckoned they could not be caught in the race for Europe.

But a nightmare run of results has left them in real danger of being overtaken on the last lap and put them under intense pressure to beat lowly Sheffield United at the Reebok this afternoon.

If they don't, and results elsewhere - Spurs play Reading tomorrow and Everton go to Aston Villa on Monday - go against them, they could be out of the top six next week.

Nolan remains confident that they can still secure a UEFA Cup spot but says it is imperative they produce a positive response to restore morale after three successive defeats.

"I really believe in the strength of the team spirit in our squad and now is the time for togetherness," he said.

"Adversity is all about a team's response, and I expect us to do so in a positive way.

"Part of this comes down to confidence. Poor results affect the best players in the world and the dent it has on a footballer's self-belief inhibits the way he plays.

"I know from experience that when my confidence is down I am less likely to try something ambitious.

"But I don't think confidence is an issue at Bolton - we know that if we work hard and stick to the basics, form will return and with it results."

Like everyone connected with Wanderers - fans, players and management alike - Nolan has tried to find reasons for the slump that has seen them drop out of Champions League contention to the point where they may now need the Intertoto Cup as a route into Europe, and he admits that the players themselves believed they were already past the post.

cockiness could have are struggling to even qualify League taken time to weighp ondered over has taken time out Addressing the issue in his BBC website column, he said: "Why the poor form? Quite honestly I think it is because a few weeks ago we had a four-point cushion between us and the team in sixth, and we became a little complacent.

"We became a little bit soft and thought we would not be caught.

"We are now one point clear of Everton and need to rediscover the determination that has characterised most of our season."

Nolan says the players owe it to Sam Allardyce, who has been badly let down by recent performances.

"The Premiership is a tough league but we have a good side and should have done much better over recent matches," he added.

"The manager has had his say in no uncertain terms, though I think it would have been a lot worse a few years ago.

"He is bitterly disappointed with the performance of his players in recent games.

"Sam has been fantastic to his squad this year, giving us weekends off when possible, and we should be repaying him for that."