MIKE Whitlow fears he may have to miss out as Wanderers go in search of the points that would guarantee their Premiership survival at Fulham on Tuesday night.

The experienced centre-back pulled a groin muscle in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Spurs at the Reebok and, although he played on, he believes the injury will rule him out of the Craven Cottage clash.

"It's been troubling me for three weeks since I did my ankle," Whitlow explained, linking the groin problem to the injury that saw him stretchered off in the home defeat by Derby on March 16.

"It hadn't stopped me playing until now but I stretched and felt it go. I managed to carry on but that's me, I'm afraid. It's not looking good."

With Kevin Nolan picking up a slight hamstring injury and Paul Warhurst, Stig Tofting and Ricardo Gardner still missing, Sam Allardyce could have his resources further stretched for the first of three fixtures he describes as "a tough run-in".

He still does not regard Wanderers as safe although Ipswich's Portman Road defeat at the hands of Arsenal yesterday leaves Wanderers so close to survival they can almost touch it.

Allardyce is worried that a spate of injuries now could be an added handicap with the finishing line in sight.

Casting an envious glance at the team Glenn Hoddle was able to turn out, despite a well documented catalogue of injuries, Allardyce expressed his delight in seeing his team come from behind to rescue a priceless point.

Drawing comparisons with Spurs, he said: "For all Glenn has said about his injuries, just look at the team he could put out. We've got Paul Warhurst, Stig Tofting and Ricardo Gardner all injured but we coped with it well. The lads have done a great job again.

"But we are not safe yet and with Fulham away, Arsenal at home and West Ham away, we've got a tough run-in."