IT may be 10 days away, but Sam Allardyce is already breaking out the hard hats for Wanderers' daunting trip to Old Trafford.

This weekend's break for FA Cup action gives the Whites boss extra time to dwell on his side's disappointing derby defeat against Blackburn Rovers, a result which he said blew any lingering hopes of Champions League football next season.

Next up in the Premiership, however, are league leaders Manchester United - who have plenty to keep them busy before worrying about the visit of the Reebok outfit on St Patrick's Day.

The Reds host Lille tonight in the last 16 of the Champions League and travel to Middlesbrough in the FA Cup before continuing their pursuit of a first league title in four years.

Allardyce knows that by the time Wanderers face United they could have extended their unbeaten run to 11 games, and kept alive their chances of a second treble.

So with his own side's unpredictable form even threatening their chances of a Uefa Cup place, Big Sam knows he might have to batten down the hatches much tighter than they did on Sunday to claim any reward from his side's trip to the Theatre of Dreams.

"We have to dig a result out against Manchester United and play to stop them for as long as we need to," warned Allardyce, whose side have not won in their last eight encounters with United.

"It was disappointing not to get a result at home against Blackburn to put us further ahead of Everton and Reading - and creating that little bit of a gap going into the game against United.

"We can't win every game at home, but we ought to make sure we don't lose them. That we didn't against Blackburn was down to our own deficiencies."