Bolton Wanderers may have done Manchester United one or two favours down the final straight in the past, but Kevin Davies has bluntly warned the Barclays Premier League champions that they will have only themselves to blame if they fail to retain their title.

Bolton held Arsenal to a 2-2 draw at the Reebok Stadium in April 2003 and Chelsea to the same scoreline at Stamford Bridge in the third-last match of last season, results that helped to ensure the Premier League trophy ended up at Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson would dearly love to see Bolton record a similar upset at Stamford Bridge tomorrow, but while Bolton have lost only once in four visits to the Bridge, Davies has told United not to start looking for excuses if they blow the title against Wigan Athletic at the JJB Stadium.

The former Blackburn Rovers and Southampton forward played in Bolton's 2-1 victory away to Chelsea in December 2003, but with the West London side unbeaten on home soil in the league for more than four years, the striker knows that they will have their work cut out. “You can sense that people think that Chelsea are going to beat us tomorrow, but we are unbeaten in four and want to end the season unbeaten,” Davies said.“United should have had the title wrapped up by now, though, so they will only have themselves to blame if they don't win the league.”

Barring freak results for Fulham and Reading, Bolton are as good as guaranteed a place in the top flight next term, but while that may prompt some of the players to take their foot off the pedal, Gary Megson, the Bolton manager, is convinced that his team can spring a surprise. Chelsea have not lost in 81 home league matches dating back to a 2-1 defeat by Arsenal in February 2004, but Megson has challenged his players to finish the season in style.

“We would love to end Chelsea's run at Stamford Bridge and it is something that we will be trying to do,” Megson said. “Having had a tough season at the wrong end of the table this year, it is going to be a challenge for us, but we have to give ourselves a chance and it would be a big thing for the club and have a huge impact if we could break that record.

“It would mean that we would go into the summer on the back of five great results and show that we have some momentum going. Nobody expects us to get anything there simply because of the prize that Chelsea are chasing and the fact that everybody is focusing on Wigan's game against United, but you never know.”

Regardless of the result, however, a summer of restructuring awaits at the Reebok Stadium. As many as a dozen players could leave the club as Megson looks to rebuild the makeshift squad he inherited from Sammy Lee in October last year.

Despite being widely criticised for appointing Megson, Phil Gartside's decision has been vindicated and the Bolton chairman is expected to provide a healthy transfer budget for the manager in the summer.

Megson's priority will be to sign a new striker. Nicolas Anelka is still the club's top scorer by some distance this season with 11 goals and the France international left Bolton for Avram Grant's team in January.

Megson will be allowed to spend the £15million the club received for Anelka and will be given additional backing, although he will also hope to raise funds through the sale of several players.

El-Hadji Diouf, Iván Campo, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Daniel Braaten and Jussi Jaaskelainen, among others, are expected to leave.