Larrazabal starts: The Bolton Wanderers XI Steven Schumacher should play v Preston on Saturday | OneFootball

We have taken a look at how Bolton Wanderers should lineup against Preston North End on the opening weekend of the Championship season.

Bolton Wanderers begin their return to the Championship with a Lancashire derby against Preston North End at the Toughsheet Community Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.

Steven Schumacher led Bolton to promotion via the play-offs last season, hammering Stockport County by four goals to one at Wembley Stadium after they had finished fifth in the table.

The Trotters remain active and busy in the transfer window but they have managed to bolster their squad with eight new signings, including two this week with both Ryan Hardie and Lewis Brunt joining from Wrexham.

Alongside that pair, Scottish midfielder David Watson has joined from Kilmarnock alongside Luca Stephenson, who was on loan at Dundee United from Liverpool last year. Ben Davies and Akin Famewo have been brought in to strengthen the defence.

From abroad, Spanish right-sider Gaizka Larrazabal has arrived on a free transfer from Casa Pia with Kyliane Dong joining on loan from Augsburg.

Bolton’s goal this season will simply be to avoid relegation and a fast start will be vital. This is how we think they should lineup against North End this weekend.

GK: Jack Bonham

Joining from Stoke City in the winter, Jack Bonham had shaky moments in the second half of last season before some superb performances in the play-offs. He remains Bolton’s number one for the time being, despite reported interest in both Kayne van Oevelen and Asmir Begovic.

RB: Luca Stephenson

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Signing for a fee reportedly in the region of £700,000 and beating off interest from local rivals Blackburn Rovers, Luca Stephenson is viewed as a bit of a coup for Bolton. Initially beginning his career in midfield, Stephenson has discussed his desire to be a right-back and he will slot in on the right side of Wanderers’ defence here.

CB: Chris Forino

Vice-captain Chris Forino looks set to pip Northern Ireland international and club captain Eoin Toal for the starting berth at centre-back, if he has shaken off a slight knock sustained against Sheffield Wednesday in the EFL Cup last week.

CB: Ben Davies

Former Rangers and Liverpool defender Ben Davies has been brought in to provide experience at the back after a stint with Oxford United last year. He should make his league debut for The Whites against another of his former clubs, Preston, this weekend.

LB: Akin Famewo

Last season, Bolton opted not to sign an out and out left-back in order to trust Max Conway and the academy graduate excelled for the majority of the campaign before fading in the latter stages. Akin Famewo has been signed as a player who can play at both left-back and at centre-back, and his Championship experience and defensive nous will get him the nod over Conway.

DM: Josh Sheehan

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There is an argument to suggest that Josh Sheehan, who has already been a brilliant servant for Bolton, is more suited to Championship football than in League One with Bolton needing to be better on the ball more often, recycling and retaining possession more than they had to in the third-tier when teams tended to cede territory.

DM: Lewis Brunt

Having signed in midweek from Wrexham, defender Lewis Brunt may well get the nod to start just a few days later out of position in midfield. The former Leicester City man has occasionally played in defensive midfield before and with Xavier Simons suspended and Ethan Erhahon injured, Schumacher may well trust the 25-year-old to shield his defence.

RW: Gaizka Larrazabal

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Steven Schumacher has discussed how he believes Gaizka Larrazabal to be a right-back, having excelled at right wing-back for Casa Pia in Liga Portugal last season. However, with options limited, the Spaniard looks set to keep his spot as a right winger, as he was against Wednesday in the cup.

AM: Ruben Rodrigues

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Ruben Rodrigues sustained a knee injury against Sheffield Wednesday and there is speculation that the Portuguese, who was instrumental in Bolton’s play-off win at Wembley before enjoying an excellent pre-season, may now miss the start of the season. If fit, he is perhaps the first name on the teamsheet. If not, then David Watson may deputise in the ‘number ten’ role.

LW: Thierry Gale

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The challenge for Barbados international winger Thierry Gale will be finding consistency. The former Rapid Vienna attacker has shown a few times that his quality is Championship level but all too often ineffective and frustrating, Gale’s directness and pace must be more regularly shown this season as a key threat to carry the attack to the opposition in a Bolton side that will often have a fair few men behind the ball.