Blackburn v Aston Villa:SAM ALLARDYCE has denied tonight's English League Cup semi-final first leg will influence his future as Blackburn Rovers manager as he attempts to arrest an alarming run of form.
Blackburn have not won since beating Chelsea in the League Cup quarter-finals on penalties last month, a sequence of eight matches in all competitions, and their league record stands at nine games without a victory.
Monday’s anaemic display at Manchester City, which resulted in a 4-1 defeat, prompted an angry exchange at Eastlands between Allardyce and senior players, and there has been growing unrest among supporters at the tactics the manager has employed since his return from heart surgery.
Blackburn have so far sold only around 11,500 tickets for the rearranged semi-final at Ewood Park although, with more than 5,000 Villa fans expected, the club are hopeful of a crowd in excess of 20,000 for the first leg.
But Allardyce is adamant his position is not under threat only 13 months after he replaced Paul Ince, before ensuring Rovers’ Premier League survival.
“You are always going to get rumours in the Premier League. Never a day goes by without a positive or a negative story,” he said.
“You are bound to get some negative scenarios going around when you have not won in a while. You just get on with your job and that is what I will do. I have no great concerns at all.”
He has to contend with several injury problems. Jason Roberts and Vince Grella have been ruled out with knee and thigh injuries respectively, and Benni McCarthy and Gael Givet are doubtful. El Hadji Diouf is suspended.
Allardyce’s opposite number tonight, Martin O’Neill, is convinced he can turn the tide, even if Villa go on to reach the final at Wembley. “I would absolutely back Blackburn Rovers,” said O’Neill. I don’t know anything about him being under pressure, but we’re all only a couple of games away from a crisis.
“Their efforts against Chelsea in the previous round were fantastic and I’m sure they’ll draw on that sort of inspiration to get them up for this game,” added O’Neill.
“I’m sure they’ll be well up for it anyway. It’s a semi-final, two games away from Wembley, and that in itself is a massive incentive.
“Therefore I don’t think previous recent form will have any bearing whatsoever on the game.”
O’Neill has no fresh injury concerns, and is likely to name a full-strength side, albeit with goalkeeper Brad Guzan to continue his cup duties ahead of regular number one Brad Friedel.
Guardian Service
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)