It's a nightmare before Christmas for Ian Evatt as his squad has been plunged into defensive crisis ahead of the game at League One leaders Wycombe.

With Ricardo Santos and George Johnston suspended and doubts over Jordi Osei-Tutu, who limped off in Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat to Wigan Athletic, the Bolton boss is short on options at Adams Park.

Eoin Toal is making progress on his comeback from a hamstring injury but Friday could be too soon for the Northern Ireland international to make his return.

Likewise, Wycombe old boy Chris Forino was expected back in contention by the end of the month, but not necessarily this side of Christmas.

Evatt was left doubly frustrated at the weekend, feeling that the yellow card issued to Ricardo Santos – his fifth of the season – was unjust.

“It makes it very tough for us at Wycombe now,” he said. “Rico’s yellow card was crazy – it was a great tackle from the side, wins the ball clearly. The fourth official saw it but, again, doesn’t communicate.

“I can’t sit here and make complaints about officials when we haven’t take care of business ourselves, it isn’t the right thing to do. But it is disappointing when everyone else thinks it was a good tackle.”

Wanderers are still licking their wounds after Saturday’s high-profile defeat, which left them in eighth spot in the table, 13 points behind their hosts on Friday night, albeit they have played one game more.

Evatt maintains that his team’s problems are not tactical, and that his squad possesses enough quality to meet their pre-season target of Championship promotion.

Wigan’s high press caused the Whites problems at the weekend and they are likely to get more of the same against Wycombe, who have been this season’s surprise package with Birmingham City the only side to beat them on home turf so far.

Asked if Bolton can change-up their style, Evatt insists his players are capable: “We did it well against Mansfield and at times in the first half against Huddersfield. It isn’t about being direct, it’s about creating space and overloads for us to take advantage with better quality.

“The issue we have got in these big games is what when teams press us aggressively it means two things: Yes, you need to be more direct and on the same page, which isn’t really the way we do things, or you have to be uber-brave, super-smart, and really want the ball under pressure, being confident enough to do that but still execute the routines we want.

“Against Wigan and other big teams we seem to struggle to do that. We didn’t make enough angles first half, we were shy and timid, we didn’t hide but we took the easy option too many times. Making that faster sprint to create a fast angle, we didn’t do it. Whether that’s trusting the six or the eight into midfield, or into the nine with good quality, we chose to stick it in the channel to chase and run, and we are not built for that.

“That is a psychological thing. It isn’t technical or a coaching thing, we have to be braver. Showing bravery in that game is a difficult thing to do given what we have been through in the past and the atmosphere of the ground when they go 1-0 up. It is tough and we didn’t deal with that at all.”