SAM Allardyce will send Wanderers out at Chelsea with orders to earn a point and make a point.

The Reebok boss knows a draw at Stamford Bridge would represent a triumph for two reasons.

Not only would it help towards Allardyce's safety target of 40 points but any kind of success against a Chelsea side firing on all cylinders in pursuit of a Champions League place, would send out signals to the other relegation threatened clubs that Wanderers are up for the fight.

Allardyce is being realistic rather than pessimistic when he admits that winning at the Bridge would be close to achieving Mission Impossible despite his side's glorious recent run of 14 points out of the last available 21.

But he believes a draw is on and that would inject a massive dose of confidence into his side and send alarm bells ringing around their relegation rivals.

He said: "If we win it would be as big a victory as we got at Old Trafford back in September," he said.

"I believe it would be that difficult to achieve, particularly with the form they are in at the moment."

As if playing Claudio Ranieri's men is not a big ask at the best of times, Allardyce believes the degree of difficulty has been multiplied by the timing of the game.

"At this stage of the season the big boys are spot on with their form.

"They are not distracted by other competitions and they need the points so badly.

"They don't rotate their squads at this stage because points become crucial and they cannot afford to slip up.

"The prize is also massive for them as it is for us.

"To qualify for the Champions League represents as big a bonus for them as staying in the Premiership is for us because they stand to gain between £10 million and £15 million if they can get into the Champions League next season.

"To get anything out of this game is going to be difficult for all those reasons.

"A draw would almost feel like a victory and it would make a statement to the rest of the teams down at the bottom that we are not going to get sucked down there.

"It would tell them that we are made of the steel you need to get yourself out of the bottom three," acknowledged the Wanderers boss.