SAM Allardyce wants his Blackburn Rovers side to return to being ‘unbreakable’ as he stresses the importance of staying away from the Premier League danger zone.

Rovers’ top-half finish last time round was built on clean sheets but, with just one so far to their name this campaign, Allardyce knows things have to change.

His side go into this afternoon’s Lancashire derby at Blackpool without a win for four games and, for that to change, he has stressed the need of returning to their former defensive glories.

He said: “I am thinking about getting three points against Blackpool because it has been a long time since our last win. We won our first game against Everton and then we beat Norwich comfortably.

“We have since had some good performances but we haven’t won a football match. So we have to get back to winning ways and the way to do that is to go to Blackpool and not concede a goal.

“If we want to win at Blackpool we have to make sure we don’t concede a goal. If we do that, we will then have the opportunity to win the game but whether we take that or not is another mattter.

“We have scored in every game we have played in so far so if you take that basis just keep a clean sheet and a goal will come our way. Whether it be through creativity or a mistake like Niko has capitalised on a couple of times, we are not particularly bothered.

“For me though only one clean sheet in seven outings and that is something that has stopped us winning matches.”

With just five Premier League games so far played this season, Allardyce knows it is far too early to start worrying about league positions.

But he also knows there is no room to relax, even at this early stage of the campaign, especially after being left staggered by a stat emphasising the importance of good starts.

“The longer a winless run carries on the more it saps your confidence,” he said. “The points on the board at this early stage of the season are what it is all about.

“When you start hearing stats like nobody in the Premier League has ever got relegated who has got seven points from four games, it does get you thinking.

“So it just shows you how important a good start is. I always say a good start is over 10 games but when someone starts drawing up those sort of stats, it stresses it. For me though it is about those first 10 games and getting anything between 12 and 15 points. That gives you a basis of a good start to the season.

“That fends off any bad periods you might have. We got criticised last year for not winning in nine but we drew five. From our point of view you need enough points on the board so when those runs come along, you have enough points so you don’t slip down the table too much.

“Steve Bruce’s Sunderland went 15 games without a win but still didn’t slip down the table too much and didn’t get too close to that position we all dread - the relegation zone.

“You need that comfort area to allow you any bad run you have. Clubs in our position can go a long time without winning a game of football.”