Carling Cup still small beer for Allardyce

The genial Northerner has come under-fire in recent years for his policy of fielding under-strength sides in the various guises of the league cup, but he insists that even a glamour tie with Liverpool will not stop him from resting his key players for the rigours of Premiership action.

Allardyce said: "The players are going to want to play at Anfield but, as always, the players will play and the manager will manage.

"The manager's heart will not over-rule his head because the manager wants to get to the Carling Cup Final but he doesn't want to be like Bryan Robson and get relegated in the process."

"That should tell everybody why the cup takes a back seat as far as I am concerned."