SAM Allardyce found himself in the bizarre situation today of preparing for a game rendered meaningless by Blackburn's promotion clincher.

"To have no tension after what we've had over the last 10 games is going to be quite strange," the Reebok boss admitted as the Bolton players assembled for Sunday's final game of the season - together for the first time since Rovers pipped them for the runners-up spot.

With Wanderers already assured a third-placed finish and the Blades out of the reckoning for the play-offs but safe in 10th position, neither side has anything to play for, which will give Allardyce the opportunity to rest certain players while United boss Neil Warnock can shrug off the loss of four members of his squad who are either injured or on international duty.

"We'll start planning for the play-offs next week," the Bolton boss revealed. "For this one, I shall probably look at the overall situation and take out some of the more fatigued players and stick them on the back burner so they don't have any problems with injuries. I'll use the full squad.

"What matters now is a week on Sunday (the first leg of the play-off semi-final) whoever that might be against."

Nicky Summerbee, under treatment for a shoulder injury, and Colin Hendry, laid low by a viral infection, are expected to be fit but Paul Warhurst, the third player who missed Tuesday night's 2-0 win at Wolves, is not fully recovered from the hamstring injury he suffered at Barnsley.

Sheffield United, who inflicted one of only four away defeats on Wanderers in November, have striker Peter Ndlovu and midfielder Patrick Suffo away on World Cup duty with Zimbabwe and Cameroon respectively while goalkeeper Simon Tracey and midfielder Darren Bullock have been checked in for double hernia operations.