SAM Allardyce has described Bolton's next three matches as "crucial" to their hopes of survival, after Sunday's 3-1 defeat at Tottenham plunged them to the bottom of the Premiership writes Neil Silver, PA Sport

Bolton face fellow strugglers Sunderland before meeting top-flight new-boys Birmingham and West Brom and manager Allardyce called on his team to take as many points as possible if they are to turn around their season.

"Our next three fixtures are crucial to us now," said Allardyce. "We have heaped an awful lot of pressure on ourselves and we have to make sure we get the points out of the next three games, against Sunderland, Birmingham and West Brom.

"If we are going to do anything we are going to have to do it in those three games. If you go into double figures in terms of games but you haven't got double figures in terms of points, then it is a real long haul and we have got to turn that around very quickly.

"We think we are a better team than last year but we find ourselves in a very precarious position and it's no good saying there is still a long way to go in the Premiership, because it is a long haul to get out of the position we are in."

Robbie Keane did most of the damage to Bolton, following up his first goal for Spurs at Blackburn a fortnight ago with a well-taken double yesterday, his first goals at White Hart Lane. Simon Davies grabbed the third, although Youri Djorkaeff had fired Bolton level briefly.

Allardyce is hoping his out-of-form striker Michael Ricketts takes a leaf out of Keane's book. The big striker has scored just twice this season and his manager is hoping he can rediscover the form he showed last term to help fire Bolton to safety.

"I was pleased with Michael's performance apart from the fact we all know he is struggling to get a goal now," said Allardyce.

"But at least he is getting himself in the right positions to score and eventually we have to hope that once he converts one he'll be off and running - a bit like Robbie Keane, he was in trouble for a while but he got the one and he is away.

"We have to hope that happens with Michael because we are not in the position to be spending the type of money Tottenham have on players for goalscorers, so Michael and the rest of the strikers are crucial to us and we hope that turns round very quickly."