COLIN Todd has told Arnar Gunnlaugsson to forget his contract wrangle and concentrate on scoring the goals Wanderers need to get back in the Premiership. The Iceland striker's form has dipped recently and the Bolton boss believes that could be the result of being pre-occupied by ongoing negotiations over a new deal.

"He can't afford to let these things affect him," the manager said. "He's got to get some consistency back into his performances and put everything else to the back of his mind . . . whether it's contracts or transfer speculation.

"He's under contract for nearly another two years so we are not concerned about that, although we have made him a very lucrative offer. But I am getting concerned about the wee bit of inconsistency that has crept into his game. "Pre-season, he came back with a great desire to do well and he's done that. I just don't want him to fall off the rails."

Gunnlaugsson has been a revelation this season, top-scoring with 14 goals but, by his own admission, has had a couple of poor games in succession.

Wanderers' keeper Gavin Ward, who spent three months on loan at Burnley, faces a lengthy lay-off after undergoing a double hernia operation.

HIGH-SCORING Scot Gordon Smith and Icelander Olaf Pall Snorrason will lead the Wanderers attack in the third round of the FA Youth Cup against Barnsley at the Reebok tonight (ko 7pm).

Squad: Evans, Bell, Buchanan, Nolan, O'Malley, O'Connor, Stephan, Snorrason, Smith, Buggie, Laidlaw, Tagoe, Power, Downey, Flanagan.

Blackburn midfielder Luke Staton has his second trial in the Reserves who take on Manchester City at Rochdale. BURY are reported to be interested in West Brom striker Micky Evans. He was formerly with boss Neil Warnock when the Bury manager was in charge at Plymouth.

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