Allardyce aims to keep Santa Cruz on side

Soccer: Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce claims he has resolved his issues with Roque Santa Cruz and has told the striker he wants to keep him at the club.

The Paraguay international gave an interview on the eve of Allardyce's first match in charge in which he said if a "better or an ambitious club" came in for him he would like to join them.

Santa Cruz missed Saturday's 3-0 victory at home to Stoke with a calf injury - likely to keep him out of the St Stephen's Day trip to Sunderland - but Allardyce said at the time he would deal with the player in due course.

Having spoken with Santa Cruz, the Rovers boss is now happy the situation has been resolved.

"We've had the discussion and I just said the timing I thought was very poor," said Allardyce.

"He should have not done that interview. It was not certainly set up by this football club, which was disappointing."

Mark Hughes is under pressure to turn around his Manchester City side's faltering season and, with the January transfer window looming and plenty of money to spend, has told his players to stand up and be counted to ensure they remain in his first-team plans.

"You need to be strong mentally and take up the challenge. If you do that then the future at Manchester City will be there for you," said Hughes, whose side host Hull on St Stephen's Day.

"But it is difficult for everybody at the moment. We need to get back to winning ways as quickly as possible because this run has gone on for too long."

West Ham are set to visit Portsmouth, with manager Gianfranco Zola admitting he would be "very annoyed" if the club renege on their promise not to offload any key players in the January transfer window.

With West Ham only a point off the bottom three, changes appear necessary at Upton Park.

Reports suggest Zola will have to sell if he wants to buy, with speculation rife Craig Bellamy could be on his way out in order to raise much-needed cash.

"They are very good players and I'm not surprised that big teams want them," said Zola.

"But as far as I'm concerned, no, they won't be going. The club have told me I won't be selling those players.

"I would be very annoyed if we did."

Pompey boss Tony Adams has insisted his players must focus on the match itself rather than any potential boardroom unrest caused by the proposed sale of the club.

"The players have to focus on doing their jobs and doing them properly and I have to focus on doing my job," he said.

Stoke are preparing for a daunting home clash with new Club World Cup champions Manchester United, while Bolton are charged with the task of overturning league leaders Liverpool.

Meanwhile, Wigan - who yesterday made full-back Maynor Figueroa's loan move permanent - host Newcastle, Everton visit Middlesbrough and Tottenham meet Fulham at White Hart Lane.