SAM Allardyce believes his Blackburn Rovers side can “send a shiver down the spine” of their relegation rivals by striking an early blow in the fight for Premier League survival.

Rovers know victory at home to Spurs this lunchtime would see them jump five places to 12th, their highest ranking since the end of October, leaving their fellow strugglers feeling the pressure ahead of their own 3pm kick-offs.

With only one home win to their name so far this year, maximum points today is anything but a formality, but Allardyce knows a Rovers win could have a massive effect on what is to follow.

He said: “It is very important from our point of view that we give them a result they don't want to hear. It could possibly have a negative effect on our rivals’ performances in and around us.

“If we get the right result kicking off at 12.45pm it sends a shiver through the spines of those eight or nine clubs in or around us. That is what we want if we have secured the three points.

“It will be a difficult task of course, because Harry Redknapp will say he is still not safe and needs the points to push on and every manager wants to get safe as quickly as possible.”

Allardyce insists even the world’s best players can freeze under pressure, describing being on the other end of a similar situation while fighting relegation with Bolton.

And he hopes the likes of Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Hull, Portsmouth, Bolton and Sunderland will suddenly be playing catch-up come 3pm today.

“I suffered from that in 2002-3,” he said. “We (Bolton) had to play Southampton at 5.30pm on a Saturday and our nearest rivals West Ham who were fighting with us for the third relegation spot were playing at home against Chelsea.

“It came through just before we went out that they had beaten Chelsea 1-0. I could see the stricken panic on the chairman's face when he came through the door so I had to push him out of the dressing room.

“I had to tell the players not to worry about it - just get on with it. I had some hugely talented, experienced, world-class players - Youri Djorkaeff, Jay-Jay Okocha, Ivan Campo, Bruno N'Gotty - but they froze under the pressure in the first half.

“We had to tell them at half-time that whatever happens we had to go out and try to win this game. Our destiny then is in our own hands. As it happened, we drew 0-0 and had to win the last game against Middlesbrough to stay up. We did, and nothing else matters.

“But it did have an effect on the day and if we can win against Spurs, then around the country the teams that are kicking off at three-o'clock might have a little bit of a blip when they go out to perform.”