STEVE Parkin has challenged Wanderers’ wide men to prove themselves just as indispensable as Sammy Ameobi.

Craig Noone, Yanic Wildschut and Will Buckley will contest two starting spots against Derby County this afternoon looking to dispel the notion Bolton’s biggest attacking threat disappeared when Ameobi was ruled out for six weeks with an ankle injury.

Despite a couple of injury issues since the start of the campaign, the former Newcastle United winger has been one of the first names on the team sheet, when fit, for Phil Parkinson. Assistant boss Parkin admits there is no direct replacement in the squad – but believes another winger can now stake his claim to be Bolton’s danger man.

“There’s no one like him – well, put it this way, we certainly haven’t got anyone who’s 6ft 5ins and can carry the ball up the pitch like him,” Parkin said of Ameobi.

“He is quite an enigma and a different kind of player. But we do have ability out wide in Yanic, Noone and Bucko and they have got to step up to the plate and make sure they stay in the team.

“It’s a nasty injury for Sammy and he’s picked up a couple, like he did last year. It’s a bit of bad luck on his part. Every club gets them and in this division you have to cope with the setbacks. The key thing is that he didn’t need an operation. The ankle is moving again now and the boot is off, so that’s a step on the road to recovery.

“It’s always a blow to lose quality players and Andrew Taylor is exactly the same but we’ve got a good squad and we’ve got to get on with it.”

Derby arrive at the University of Bolton Stadium still buoyant from a Carabao Cup victory at Manchester United in midweek.

Frank Lampard surprisingly named an unchanged line-up at Old Trafford from the one which had beaten Brentford a few days earlier in the Championship.

Parkin admits there is an unpredictable quality about Wanderers’ opponents, who are undefeated on their last four visits to Bolton.

“We’re not sure what to expect,” he said. “We were a little surprised when Frank picked the same team at United but they’ve got a terrific squad and he could easily make seven, eight, nine changes, or run with the players who have really done well for him over the past few weeks.

“I think he’s got a nice combination, they are a definite threat on the break, they have got pace and guile and it will be a real good game to look forward to.”

Wanderers were able to register another winger, new recruit Lloyd Dyer, after settling their pay dispute with former players Karl Henry, Jem Karacan and Derik Osede.

The EFL were thought to be considering blocking the former Burton Albion wide man’s registration but, with the club making the payments owed to all three and resolving the situation, he will be eligible to make his Whites debut.

However, Dyer is not expected to make today’s squad, with the management staff believing he needs more time with his new team-mates on the training ground.