SAM Allardyce has looked ahead to the forthcoming clashes with The Big Three after the 1-0 success over Aston Villa and warned it will be difficult to repeat last season's amazing successes.

Wanderers meet Manchester United away, Liverpool at home and Arsenal away in quick succession. Last season they won at Old Trafford, beat Liverpool at the Reebok and drew with 10-men at Highbury.

Allardyce acknowledges how tough it is going to be to match that seven-point haul.

"If we can maintain the level of performance we produced to get those fantastic results, then great," he suggested.

"But it looks like it's going to be more difficult to do that, especially with the way they have started. They appear to be throwing their best sides out from the start rather than resting players against teams like us while they were in the early stages of the Champions League.

"I fancy we'll be coming up against the full force of these teams.

"But there will be less pressure on us in those games because we are not expected to win them."