THE best of friends will be the fiercest of rivals when Sam Allardyce goes head to head with Peter Reid at the Reebok on Saturday.

Each will be plotting the other's downfall in the days leading up to the duel and there will be no holds barred when their respective teams take to the field.

But you can bet there is a table booked at a hostelry somewhere in the area where the two managers will enjoy a meal and a glass or two once the dust has settled and the points decided.

Allardyce and Reid have been mates for more than a quarter of a century since coming through the Burnden Park ranks together and sharing success with Wanderers as members of the Ian Greaves team that won the Second Division Championship and played in the top flight for two seasons.

"Big Sam" describes "Reidy" as his closest friend in football and they are frequently in touch. Schooled together, they have similar approaches to the game - shrewed tacticians who demand and get total commitment from their players, generating a work ethic and a team spirit which, allied to the talent at their disposal, makes them formidable opponents.

For his part, Allardyce has the greatest admiration for his pal who has guided the Black Cats to seventh place in the Premiership in successive seasons while Reid has enough respect for the Wanderers' boss to expect a hard fought game.

The Wearsiders have made a respectable start to the season but by their own high standards, they have been less than satisfied.

Soul searching

Last week's home defeat by Spurs caused a deal of soul searching at the Stadium of Light, where two of their more high profile players ominously hinted of an element of discontent.

Reid's men were second best to Spurs, prompting wide man Julio Arca to hint that there was something missing. "It's difficult to work out what is going wrong," the young Argentine said, "but I think we can put it right. We have some very good players here."

Worse was to come. It might still be early days but that has not stopped Kevin Phillips suggesting that a marked improvement is necessary if he is to fulfil his ambitions.

In what has been referred to as "the most scathing analysis yet from any player under Reid's regime", the striker admitted the team had been "poor" and called on his teammates to sort it out, before his personal dream of lifting a trophy disappears.

"We haven't started games well, haven't played well and we've looked poor at times," Phillips said ahead of Saturday's home game against Charlton.

Reid had Phillips in his office on Friday for what observers assumed would be a dressing down. But the manager surprisingly backed the England striker's claims.

"What the boy Phillips said about our start to the season is spot on," he said.

"The players understand that they have not played well and are desperate to put it right.

"We must regain that will to win spirit and that work ethic and while expectations are high that comes with being at a big club like this."