Savage in contention for Rovers

Robbie Savage will be pushing for a return to Blackburn’s midfield at Middlesbrough after missing the second half of last season with a broken leg.

Fellow long-term absentee Steven Reid will not be in the squad, however, as he suffered a hamstring strain in training this week, while Swiss defender Bruno Berner is out for several months

after breaking a bone in his foot.

New signing Roque Santa Cruz is expected to make his debut in attack alongside Benni McCarthy.

Team (from): Friedel, Enckelman, Olsson, Ooijer, Nelsen, Samba, Warnock, Khizanishvili, Emerton, Mokoena, Tugay, Dunn, Bentley, Savage, Pedersen, McCarthy, Santa Cruz, Rigters, Roberts, Derbyshire.