FORGET the glorious triumph at Old Trafford, Sam Allardyce would measure victory in tomorrow's Reebok derby above any other result Wanderers have achieved this season.

"To win it would be the victory of all victories," the Bolton boss said as he prepared to lock horns with Graeme Souness in a game that could have a major bearing in the relegation stakes.

"You can keep them all - the win at Manchester United, drawing at Arsenal with 10 men and beating Liverpool at home ... I'd put this above them all, not just because it's a local derby but because it would put us seven points clear of them (Rovers).

"It wouldn't make us safe - you can only say that when the club third from bottom of the table can't catch you - but it's incredible to think what a win in this game would mean to us."

Allardyce, who has scores to settle with Souness after last season, when Rovers knocked Wanderers out of the FA Cup and chalked up a 4-1 Reebok win on their way to an automatic promotion place, saluted his arch-rivals' Worthington Cup triumph over Spurs in Cardiff on Sunday and expects an equally-committed performance tomorrow.

But, encouraged by recent results, he believes Wanderers have good reason to be confident after getting back on track with the 1-0 win against West Ham and last Saturday's scoreless draw at Southampton.

"We've had a good New Year," he maintained. "We have only lost two of the last eight and, although we have drawn a few, we're only a kick up the backside away from turning those draws into wins. We've been so close on so many occasions to making one point into three; it's incredible.

"We've done enough not to be where were are ... but we are where we are because we didn't win a game in 12."

Allardyce has predicted a tough encounter between two fully-committed teams desperate to retain their hard-earned Premiership status and believes referee Paul Durkin will have to be on top of his game to handle it.

"We're going to have to make sure the players are careful and control themselves," he pointed out, "and the ref will have to be strong and on his game too.

"Hopefully it will be a hard fought derby like the other encounters we've had in previous years. We were on the wrong end of a thrashing here last season but this year we should have won at Ewood Park - irrespective of whether they were the better side because we were 1-0 up and only conceded a late equaliser.

"Now we both find ourselves where neither of us want to be!"

The Bolton players have been given a detailed lowdown on their local rivals with Allardyce and his coaches highlighting possible weaknesses in the Rovers' backline and their strengths in attack as the key areas where the game could be won or lost.

"I want us to be adventurous when we have the ball and commit their defenders because if there is a weak spot in Blackburn's make-up it would perhaps be in their defence, where they have been a bit suspect," he explained. "That's not the case up front though with Andy Cole, David Dunne, Damien Duff, Gillespie and either Jansen or the new lad (Yordi) - whichever one plays.

"We must be aware of that and while it is a must-win game, it is also one we must not lose."