Bolton Wanderers boss Sammy Lee is holding talks with Gary Speed and Kevin Nolan over a power struggle inside the dressing room.

The Guardian says Lee, under pressure after taking only five points from nine games, left both players out of the squad to face Chelsea on Sunday. Both had started all of Bolton's eight previous league fixtures and in the case of Speed, his demotion is particularly intriguing given that one of Lee's first moves after replacing Sam Allardyce was to invite the former Wales player to join his backroom staff as a first-team coach.

Speed's sympathisers believe that Lee has come to regard his colleague as a "threat". Nolan, meanwhile, is thought to be among a group of senior players, which also includes Ivan Campo, who have had misgivings about the changes Lee has implemented, particularly in training.