STUART Holden is taking desperate measures to avoid being frozen out of the team against Arsenal tomorrow.

The US international returned from a serious knee injury to play his first 90 minutes since March in the Carling Cup victory over Aston Villa in midweek.

And the midfielder been having daily ice baths ever since to make sure he suffers no reaction, giving him the best chance of facing the Gunners.

“I’ll be doing everything I can to get myself into contention,” he said.

“If the manager selects me then I’ll go out there and give 100 per cent, as I do every time I step on the pitch.”

Holden insists he bears no grudge against Manchester United defender Jonny Evans, who put him out for six months with a reckless challenge at Old Trafford in March.

“It’s football at the end of the day and these decisions are made in split-seconds,” he told The Bolton News.

“Six months on I’ve paid my dues again and I’m ready to reap the rewards.

“The first tackle I put in against Villa was on Stilyan Petrov and I can’t tell you how good it felt.

“You always have it in the back of your mind about getting tackled or getting another injury but once you get that first one out of the way it’s easy sailing from there.”