Cahill shakes off knee injury to start against Rovers

Everton midfielder Tim Cahill took his place in David Moyes’ team for their season opener after shaking off the knee problem that caused him to miss Australia’s match in midweek.

He slotted in behind loan striker Louis Saha, who was preferred to new recruit Jermaine Beckford at Ewood Park.

Jack Rodwell also had to settle for a place on the bench despite being tipped for a full England cap in the near future.

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce switched promising defender Phil Jones into midfield while on-loan striker Mame Biram Diouf was one of the substitutes.

Blackburn: Robinson, Samba, Salgado, Jones, Olsson, Givet, Nelsen, Dunn, Kalinic, El-Hadji Diouf, Pedersen.

Subs: Bunn, Emerton, Nzonzi, Andrews, Hoilett, Chimbonda, Mame Diouf.

Everton: Howard, Baines, Distin, Neville, Jagielka, Arteta, Cahill, Pienaar, Osman, Fellaini, Saha.

Subs: Mucha, Hibbert, Heitinga, Bilyaletdinov, Beckford, Gueye, Rodwell.

Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)