West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce says the talent gap across the divisions is shrinking - as has been evident in the FA Cup.

Allardyce wrote in the London Evening Standard: "Bristol City certainly made it tough for us last Sunday - they were more than a match for us - and emphasised that the gulf in money between the Premier League and the rest might be great but the difference in talent is not.

"Look at Tottenham and Sheffield United in the Capital One Cup. Spurs scraped through to the final in the end but over two legs, 20 years ago, that would have been 4 or 5 -0, not 3-2.

"The money is greater than ever but the gulf in talent is shrinking.

"The FA Cup this season is important to us and if we can get through a difficult fifth-round tie at West Brom, then it becomes a major priority, even though we want to finish as high as we can in the Premier League."