BOLTON Wanderers are probably the last team Arsene Wenger would have wanted to come up against at a time when Arsenal's Champions League prospects are hanging by a thread.

The Frenchman didn't have a wrinkle on his face before Sam Allardyce came on the Premiership scene, but each successive meeting has brought more frowns and worry lines.

And, despite repeatedly expressing his confidence of claiming a victory tomorrow and a top-four finish come May 13, he'll be a lucky man if sleeps soundly in his bed tonight.

For all Arsenal's success in modern times, honours are even between Allardyce and Wenger. In 13 meetings over the last six seasons, they have won four apiece with honours shared in the other five, and Arsenal winning just one of the last six - the fourth round FA Cup replay at the Reebok back in February.

Nevertheless, with a game in hand plus a far superior goal difference, the smart money is on the Gunners claiming their first three-pointer since winning 1-0 at Villa a month ago, and going on to maintain Wenger's record of never having finished outside the top four since succeeding Bruce Rioch as manager in 1996.

That, however, ignores the bogey factor and Arsenal have had no bigger bogey team than Wanderers in recent years.

Allardyce, who first got Wenger hot under the collar at the Reebok April, 2003, when the Whites came from 2-0 down to claim a 2-2 draw that went a long way to Wenger surrendering the title to Manchester United, has gone out of his way to play down his chances of causing an upset tomorrow. He has gone even further, insisting Wanderers still have a lot of work to do to claim a UEFA Cup spot, let alone qualify for the Champions League But, by his own admission, he is merely trying to keep the pressure off his own players.

"I can't see them blowing fourth," he said, acknowledging that Arsenal hold all the aces. "We just have to finish top of our league'.

"We don't have the best of run-ins, still having to go to Chelsea and West Ham, although we do seem to have turned our form round. That was worrying me four or five weeks back, but we got back to somewhere near our best against Sheffield United, Wigan and Everton and I hope we can take that into the Arsenal game.

"But I don't think we are expected to go there and win. They (the players) won't be getting any pressure from me. They should just enjoy the game, enjoy the Emirates and enjoy playing Arsenal. We'll try our best and see where that takes us.

"We still have a way to go to clinch that UEFA Cup spot, but I'm looking forward to the run in."

No matter how often he plays down Wanderers chances of beating Arsenal and reclaiming the place in the top four that appeared to be theirs for the taking when they ended 2006 with five straight wins, there is no getting away from the fact that Allardyce has got the better of Wenger more times than the Frenchman would care to admit - even though he has yet to taste victory on the Gunners' manor. We know how to play against them," he said, adopting a more bullish tone. "Tactically, we are astute enough to work out what their strengths are and to expose their weaknesses.

"I thought in the replay back here we caught Arsenal in top form and still managed to contain them and ultimately got it to extra-time.

"In extra-time we had the first chance and hit the post and then Freddie Ljungberg popped up with a terrific goal which won the tie.

"We are good at working them out and stopping them playing to their best."