Football: Cadamarteri's Barnsley warning

FULHAM'S ON-LOAN striker, Danny Cadamarteri, believes his side are ready for the challenge of their fellow promotion hopefuls Barnsley at Craven Cottage today.

"Barnsley are a good, strong, tough Yorkshire side," Cadamarteri said. "They will come down here and give it a go as always. But we put in a decent midweek performance against Portsmouth and I think the players have still got enough in reserve."

The Barnsley striker, Neil Shipperley, meanwhile, is brimming with confidence following his two goals against Sheffield United. "The goals have done me a world of good and now if I get any chances I'll be confident of sticking them away," he said.

The Nottingham Forest manager, David Platt, hopes his on-loan striker, Mikkel Beck, will solve their goal-scoring problems. The Dane, who has arrived on a two-month loan spell, makes his debut tomorrow at the City Ground against in-form Huddersfield. "He scored 15 goals in the First Division with Middlesbrough and has a proven track record at this level," Platt said.

The Huddersfield defender, Ken Monkou, is struggling with a hamstring injury and his manager, Steve Bruce, will not rush him back. "Ken is responding to the treatment but we are going to be careful not to push him beyond the limit," Bruce said.

Bolton's new manager, Sam Allardyce, has appealed to the fans to be patient while he makes his mark on the club.

Allardyce takes Wanderers to Sheffield United and said: "It will take up to the start of next season before the changes and style are recognisable - but that doesn't stop us working for every result now."

The mood at Crystal Palace remains positive ahead of their derby with Queens Park Rangers at Selhurst Park despite falling into relegation trouble after winning just three games. "We're quite pleased from the squad's point of view with the players coming back in. It will make us stronger than we have been," their assistant manager, Steve Kember, said.

QPR are refusing to underestimate Palace, though. "We all know about the problems they have been having at Palace, but they are a bit of a sleeping giant and there is a siege mentality developing there," Their assistant manager, Iain Dowie, said.

The Portsmouth manager, Alan Ball, is concerned by his lack of available players ahead of visit to West Bromwich Albion. "The players who are fit are doing their best." he said. "I can only ask for total commitment and they are giving me that."

The Baggies, meanwhile, have been hit by the news that their defender, Paul Mardon, may never play again after his knee collapsed as he was recovering from a torn left kneecap.