ERHUN Oztumer and Yanic Wildschut have been told how to get back into Phil Parkinson’s good books.

Responding to questions on why his attacking pair have been dropped from successive matchday squads, the Bolton boss confirmed their absence was purely down to selection and not injury.

“Only 18 can be included, some are always going to miss out, but we’re speaking with those players and working hard with them in training on what they need to do to get in the team. And when they are in the team, stay in it,” he said.

“With Oztumer he has done a lot of good things for us. Physically he has handled the division, his closing down and his work-rate. He has kept the ball well for us. But he knows he has got to put demands on himself to produce in the final third, the same as Yanic.”

Parkinson says he went through the whole gamut of emotions in the Boxing Day victory against Rotherham United but hopes his players can pick themselves up again for what could be another physical encounter.

“It has been tough,” he said. “When we went a goal ahead we got carried away with ourselves for five minutes and gave a silly free-kick away. I was disappointed to concede that goal.

“It’s never easy. And it’s going to be a battle right to the last minute of the last game. We have got to be mentally and physically prepared to do that, and so have the supporters.”