Wanderers will go to Maine Road on Saturday without the suspended Bruno N'Gotty and the injured Bernard Mendy.

Mike Whitlow and Gudni Bergsson will need fitness tests to determine whether they will be available to offer Allardyce alternatives in the back line.

Options will be limited in midfield, however, with Per Frandsen forced out of the Chelsea game at half-time with a hamstring injury and likely to be missing for a fortnight.

Paul Warhurst, who returned for only his third start of the season after recovering from a series of groin problems, was relieved to come through the game with no reaction and is hoping he has done enough to retain his place for a return trip to Maine Road, where his career began.

A lifelong Manchester City fan, Warhurst had his versatility tested when he started at right wing-back but was quickly switched to a more familiar midfield role where he played a key role in an entertaining game Wanderers felt they should have won

"It's fair to say I wasn't comfortable out on the right," he admitted. "It isn't a position I'm used to and it just wasn't working for me. I couldn't get into the game and when I got the ball, nothing much was happening for me.

"I was relieved when the manager decided to change things round after 20 minutes or so and put me back into the middle of the field. I was much happier there and think I made a useful contribution.

"The change certainly seemed to work for us because we played some good stuff and got on top of them.

"It was real blow to concede the equaliser with only a minute to go because we think we did enough to have won against a good side. But there were several plus points in the way we played. We made chances and passed the ball around well and I feel sure we can continue up the table if we carry on playing like this."