Preview: Blackburn vs Newc

Sam Allardyce knows this game is crucial if he wants to keep his job, and travelling to Ewood Park is fast becoming one of the hardest journeys in the Premiership. Rovers are without a victory in four league games, whilst Newcastle are looking for their first in five weeks.

Team News

Newcastle will make late decisions on defenders Steven Taylor (back), Abdoulaye Faye (hamstring) and Claudio Cacapa (knee) before naming their side.

Michael Owen (thigh), Damien Duff (foot), Peter Ramage (knee) and Celestine Babayaro (back) are all out.

Ryan Nelsen has a ban for Blackburn.

Alan Smith: we need a win

We have to stand up and be counted - and in the next few weeks and months, people will see that. I was relegated with Leeds, but I am sure players in this dressing room will never let that happen.

"A win will put us back in the top half of the table and suddenly you are looking in the other direction - that's how quickly football can change.

"We are a good team and the top six is where we want to be. We have good players at the club who can take us back where we belong."

Squads

Blackburn (from): Friedel, Brown, Emerton, Nelsen, Samba, Ooijer, Warnock, Berner, Dunn, Bentley, Pedersen, Santa Cruz, McCarthy, Derbyshire, Tugay, Roberts, Reid, Mokoena, Khizanishvili, Treacy.

Newcastle (from): Given, Harper, Beye, Enrique, Carr, Rozehnal, Faye, Taylor, Edgar, Butt, Milner, Geremi, Emre, N'Zogbia, Barton, Smith, Viduka, Martins, Ameobi.

Eyefootball Premiership Predictor

Blackburn 1-1 Newcastle

This game has draw draw draw written all over it. Sam Allardyce needs a win - but he's not going to get it away from home. Nevertheless, a point at Ewood Park is a fantastic result.

Goalscorer: Mark Viduka