BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness today urged Egil Ostenstad to prove he can still have a future at Ewood as Rovers gear up for Monday night's trip to West Brom.

Ostenstad is back in the first team picture after a crippling injury list has robbed Souness of all his frontline strikers.

And the Ewood chief has given the Norwegian a chink of hope that his latest recall could become more than just a temporary measure, providing he shows he has the necessary appetite for the challenge.

Ostenstad has spent the vast majority of the last 18 months festering in the reserves but he was suddenly brought in from the cold for Rovers' game against Leeds on Sunday.

And Souness insists the door is not closed altogether in regard to the former Southampton star's long-term future, even though the player has been linked with a return to Norway with Viking Stavanger.

"I was responsible for bringing Egil to England and I know that he's a far better player than he has shown in his time at Blackburn," said Souness.

"I know he can play in the Premier League and he's still in good nick.

"But as for why he hasn't really produced his best here, I can't answer that - you'll have to ask him.

"There could still be a future here for him, though, because anything can happen in football."

"Just look at Keith Gillespie's story here. The year before last he went out to Wigan on loan and then he came back and ended up in the team.

"So football can be strange like that and he proved his worth last Sunday by coming in and doing well."

Ostenstad will make only his second Premiership start this year if Cole and Yorke fail to prove their fitness following hamstring injuries in time for Monday's game at the Hawthorns.

Both players were due to have fitness tests today and Souness will give them until the last possible minute before he makes a final decision.

Regardless of what side he eventually puts out, however, the Rovers boss is quietly confident his team can get a result, despite Albion's recent good form.

"West Brom have had three wins in the Premier League which is one more than we've had so it's not going to be an easy game," said Souness.

"They are quite direct, they'll be aggressive, there'll be a hostile atmosphere and I hope my players will respond to all those things.

"Just because they are newly promoted doesn't mean we can go there thinking it's going to be an easy three points because there are no easy three points for anyone in this league.

"But I've got good players who have shown time and time again that they like the games where it's stacked against them.

"So they'll be up and at us and we must be ready for that but I'm quietly confident so we'll see what happens on the night."

German full-back Sebastian Pelzer was named in a provisional squad as was Damien Duff who could be in line for a return after three weeks out with a thigh injury.