EL-HADJI Diouf's Champions League prediction is looking more plausible with every passing day.

But Sam Allardyce is determined to play it cool.

Saturday's 3-1 victory over Wigan Athletic took Wanderers to within two points of fourth-placed Arsenal, who went down to a surprise 1-0 home defeat to relegation-threatened West Ham - their first defeat at The Emirates Stadium.

And, since they go to the Emirates themselves next weekend, there is a new mood of optimism among the players and their fans that a top four finish could be theirs for the taking.

But that, the manager claims, could be disastrous. He suggests Wanderers are nowhere near ready to compete with the elite of Europe and insists the UEFA Cup is the extent of his current ambition - or is it?

For, in one breath he played it down and the in the next he suggested he just did not want to tempt fate by talking about it.

"It would destroy the club if we went into the Champions League," Allardyce said, sounding emphatically dismissive of the notion.

"We are not big enough for that. It would be too much for us.

"But, at the end of the day, if it comes along, we'll take it. Of course we will.

"But we don't want to broadcast that we are looking for it because we are not, really.

"We have already blown it once before by talking about it too much, so we don't want to talk about it any more."

Allardyce was still decidedly upbeat after seeing Andranik Teimourian mark only his second Premiership start with the two second half goals that secured three points towards the 60-point target he reckons should be enough to take Wanderers back into Europe.

Nicolas Anelka claimed his 11th goal of the season just before half-time to cancel out Emile Heskey's 31st minute opener and Wanderers went on to end their Wigan jinx (they'd managed just one draw in their previous four meetings) with a relatively comfortable win.

"It was a terrific result and a terrific performance," Allardyce said.

"To overcome going 1-0 down in the Premiership is very difficult indeed, especially away from home. We've managed it just once before this season when we went behind at Newcastle, but we've not just overcome it this time, we've done it very comfortably indeed, in what has never been an easy fixture for us.

"Getting the goal just before half-time got Wigan on the back foot. But every Premiership match is about having a finisher and the clinical finisher of our hardest two chances was Andranik Teimourian."

Allardyce explained why, after Andranik scored twice in the FA Cup tie at Doncaster and frequently impressed when he was used as substitute, he resisted the temptation to promote him to the starting 11.

Even now he fears that his attacking instinct that is one of his strengths, could also be a weakness that could be exposed and exploited by opponents.

"I hope this is the start of a good run for him," the manager said.

"It's a big experience that will help him become a more consistent and better influence on the team.

"We've had him involved more since Doncaster and, using him as substitute, he's made life difficult for other subs who used to get on before him - like Stelios and Idan Tal, who are much more experienced.

"We felt it necessary to keep that going. When we've seen him come on as substitute, we've seen a good contribution.

"He's got a lot of attributes for this league, as long as he keeps learning and as long as he keeps wanting to learn.

"He's a very instinctive player, which can sometimes be a little dangerous because he sometimes goes into areas where he shouldn't be going.

"He wants to go there too often and leave big gaps in midfield, which can get exposed at this level.

"So it's teaching him the timing of when to go. On Saturday he timed it perfectly but what he doesn't want to do is become a player who does that all the time, because you become easy to read.

"If he learns that, he'll progress well. He's already progressed much greater than I would have imagined this year and that means he's a big bonus for everybody."