SAM Allardyce has ordered his players to switch off from the pressures of the Premiership in readiness for an all-out assault on Europe.

Wanderers go into the Easter break in a position to claim at least a UEFA Cup place, and Allardyce is determined to make the most of the lay-off before he starts preparing for the "six-pointer" against Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday week.

"Between now and then everybody can switch off - certainly in this first week of the international break," the manager said after victory over Norwich raised hopes that the Whites could even be pushing for a Champions League place.

"Of course, we've got 10 lads playing away at all levels and they'll have a busy time ahead of them and we'll only get to see them on Thursday afternoon next week.

"But we're quietly and confidently continuing our run to the end of the season and the lads have deserved everything they've got.

"The ones who are not on international duty can all go and have a rest while the others can go away with great confidence because we're at the top of our form and they are at the top of their form.

"All the international managers are going to be receiving players who are absolutely brimming with confidence."

Stelios, whose stunning strike just before half time was enough to earn Wanderers the points against relegation doomed Norwich, will be one of eight members of the Reebok squad on World Cup duty.

Jussi Jaaskelainen, Tal Ben Haim, Ricardo Gardner, Radhi Jaidi, Jay Jay Okocha, El-Hadji Diouf and Khalilou Fadiga all have important qualifiers, while Nicky Hunt and Joey O'Brien are on Under 21 duty. They can be anxious times for club managers but, such is the mood in the Reebok camp these days, that Allardyce is only looking on the bright side

"We hope they come back with no knocks or injuries," he said, "but the rest will have a lot of time off to relax, wind down and recharge their batteries and look forward to Liverpool when they come back."

Allardyce admitted he had "one or two anxious moments" as Wanderers struggled to add a second and Norwich gave everything they could to salvage a point in their desperate search for survival. But he was delighted with a seventh 1-0 win in 11 league and cup games that dispelled any fears he had that his players might suffer a hangover after their FA Cup defeat by Arsenal.

"We sent a big message for everybody in the Premier League," he said. "We overtook Liverpool on Saturday, went even closer to Everton and the results below us gave us a little more breathing space.

"We totally bombarded Norwich with all sorts of football in the first half and just needed the goal. Had we not got it when we did, it might have ended up being a 0-0 because we weren't as good in the second half as in the first and might have struggled to get the goal.

"We got it at the right time and probably deserved it overall. But it doesn't matter how you get it and what goes on in between, a win is all that matters at this stage of the season."