SAM Allardyce is confident Bruno N'Gotty will be fit to strengthen his defence for the survival showdown with West Ham.

The Bolton boss elected not to risk the former AC Milan defender at Chelsea on Saturday after he complained of a tight calf muscle but believes Wanderers will be back to full strength for the game that could secure their Premiership future.

"We decided not to risk him," the manager said after drafting in former Chelsea defender Anthony Barness at Stamford Bridge, where Carlton Cole's 58th minute goal kept Claudio Ranieri's Blues on course for a Champions League place. "If the calf had gone that would have been the end of his season.

"We'll get him right for the weekend. Barney did a good job, I've no complaints about that but we should have a near fully-fit squad."

That is assuming Gudni Bergsson suffers no adverse reaction to the crunching collision with Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink which left him with severe bruising high on the inside of his right thigh. There was relief all round when the inspirational captain was able to play on for the remaining 50 minutes with no-one happier than the manager himself who said: "It was a hell of a whack he took but it looks like it was only bruising."