SAM Allardyce was wrestling with a range of selection options on Monday as he finally got down to the business of preparing Wanderers for their first European campaign.

The Bolton boss confirmed he will make changes for Thursday night's Reebok encounter with the Bulgarian side, Lokomotiv Plovdiv, in the first leg of the UEFA Cup first round tie (8.10pm, Channel 5).

But there are crucial decisions to be made as he attempts to get a tie-clinching lead in the home leg while keeping his key players fresh for next Sunday's Premiership game at Manchester City.

"We won't make too many changes but we will make some," Allardyce said.

"We've got to try and win the home leg comfortably enough so that we make sure we get through, but we've got to keep enough back to try and have the quality, the strength, the stamina and the physical presence to cope with a Manchester City side that is in top form and playing the best they can play.

"I saw them get a draw at Manchester United on Saturday and they put up a sterling performance. We'll be going there to face a side that's in confident mood and it will be difficult, but we'll focus on that fully once we've got the European dream out of the way."

What promises to be one of the most memorable weeks in the 131-year history of Bolton Wanderers did not get off to the best of starts with the Whites being held to a scoreless draw by Blackburn Rovers at the Reebok on Sunday in one of the most lacklustre local derbies of modern times.

Allardyce conceded it was not an entertaining game for the crowd or the Sky TV viewers but consoled himself with the fact that Wanderers had played poorly and still managed a point and a clean sheet. And he delighted in the performance of Henrik Pedersen, the Danish striker who has played the last three games as emergency left back in the absence of the injured Ricardo Gardner.

Gardner was passed fit but was only given a place on the subs' bench, a testimony to Pedersen's performances.

"He's done another fantastic job for us," the manager said. "In the three games he has played left-back we have conceded just one goal - and that was a penalty.

"That shows the size of the man's contribution.

"God knows where we would be in results terms if he hadn't put those performances in, because who else would we play there?

"Henrik Pedersen has filled a huge role, which was a massive problem for us and he has done an exceptional job.

"I just hope he can keep it up, otherwise we could be in big trouble in that position, if Ricky gets injured again."