PARKER: AL’S DUE A SHOT FOR LES BLEUS

Championship: 3pm

SCOTT PARKER says Alphonse Areola should get a shot at the Euros with France after the Fulham keeper’s heroics.

The form of the on-loan Paris Saintgermain man (right) has been key to the Cottagers’s recent revival.

Boss Parker has been impressed with the way Areola, 27, has slotted in seamlessly after spending last season on loan at Real Madrid.

And he believes the goalkeeper – who won the last of his three caps two years ago – could catch the eye of Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps if he continues to boost Fulham’s survival bid. Parker said: “It’s a difficult position to come into joining a new league and he has played fantastic.

“My main aim, my focus for Alphonse is to keep improving and playing the way he is playing and if France come calling then it will be unbelievable for Alphonse and nothing short of what he deserves.”

SAM ALLARDYCE admits he was “terrified” of contracting Covid before he received his vaccination.

The 66-year-old West Brom boss was worried for wife Lynne after he returned to management in December.

But Big Sam (below) reckons he feels a lot safer now and even more focused on Albion’s relegation battle.

Ahead of Brighton’s visit, Allardyce said: “I had the Covid jab with my wife two weeks ago on Monday.

“I feel very safe, or much safer now, not just for me but for her. In all honesty I was terrified that if I got Covid, how bad would I get it?

“More importantly, if I passed it on to my wife and that caused her some of the problems people had suffered. I wouldn’t have known how badly it would affect her.

“I was very concerned about us, and me particularly, being as safe as possible while getting back in among these young men and trying to help them out, which is obviously what I love doing. “But since we’ve had the jab I feel safer, my wife feels safer and it’s better for me to work because of how safe I feel.”

Allardyce was appointed on an 18-month contract at the Hawthorns, which includes an end-of-season break clause in the event of relegation.

He said: “I’d be devastated from a personal point of view and for the club not to have survived the first season back at this level.

“But If you’re established as a manager other jobs come along.”

DAVE ARMITAGE

AITOR KARANKA will use Birmingham’s finest hour to try to inspire his side’s relegation fight.

They tackle QPR today on the 10th anniversary of their historic 2-1 Carling Cup final Wembley win over Arsenal.

Karanka looks to harness the energy of first-team coach Craig Gardner, who was in that team, to motivate his side, just two points clear of the drop zone.

The Blues boss said: “He is always speaking about that but it’s nice to have someone who was here then. It can be used as a positive on Saturday.”

ADRIAN MARIAPPA has no doubt Nigel Pearson can turn around Bristol City’s season.

Robins defender Mariappa (below) worked with Pearson at Watford last season and has been reunited following the manager’s arrival at Ashton Gate.

He said: “He has a wealth of experience, he talks very well and you can see everyone feeds off of that.

“There’s always the effect of a new manager coming in. I think more so with Nigel because of his personality and how he is and I think that’ll give everyone a bit of a push.”