KABA Diawara is set for his first full league start for Blackburn Rovers in tonight's clash with Sheffield United.

An ankle injury to Matt Jansen, likely to keep him out of action for at least two weeks, has created an opportunity for the loan signing from Paris St Germain.

The French striker has so far only started one game, the Worthington Cup tie with Rochdale.

But he has now benefitted from three substitute appearances, although he was asked to make way for Egil Ostenstad against Tuesday as Rovers chased an equaliser.

Souness, however, is expected to resist the temptation to opt for the out-of-favour Norwegian in Jansen's absence.

He said: "Kaba is disappointed he didn't get goals on Tuesday -- he missed two golden opportunities.

"But we'll start with him and give him the benefit of the doubt.

"It's difficult to come on and make an an impression as a substitute.

"And he has only played as a substitute in the league, against Norwich, Sheffield Wednesday and Watford."

And Souness is likely to hand the rest of his side a vote of confidence despite Tuesday's 4-3 defeat.

He added: "You don't concede four goals at home and there not be some problems.

"But, in general, our football was good, so we'll go the same way.

"We had 20-something efforts and I think we did well.

"If I could guarantee we played like that between now and the end of the season I'd be happy."

Souness knows that Rovers' second TV appearance of the season in the Steel City will be a battle.

He added: "There are no easy games but I'm only concerned with what we do.

"We have done well in the last two games and we'll have to continue.

"And I hope that, over the season, luck will even itself out. The ball didn't run for us on Tuesday."

Alan Miller continues to deputise for the injured John Filan, forcing Rovers to turn down a request from Bristol City manager Danny Wilson for an extension of his expired month's loan.

The Rovers squad is: Kelly, Curtis, Short, Berg, Bjornebye, McAteer, Flitcroft, Diawara, Dunn, Blake, Duff, Broomes, Taylor, Johnson, Carsley, Ostenstad, Miller, Burgess.

Neil Warnock has an injury doubt over centre backs Georges Santos and Keith Curle, with groin and calf strains respectively.

But midfielder Paul Devlin is back from injury.

The Sheffield squad is: Tracey, Quinn, Murphy, Brown, Bent, Newby, Ford, Santos, Kelly, Uhlenbeek, Woodhouse, Devlin, Curle, Webber, Sandford, Smith, Jagielka, Burley.

Any hope of a swap deal involving Celtic's Eyal Berkovic and Christian Dailly appears to have hit a stalemate.

While the two clubs haggle over a fee, Celtic boss O'Neill appears reluctant to part with the Isreali international.

He said: "I spoke to Eyal earlier in the week and asked him to be patient. He told me he realises that the team is playing well, that he is happy in Glasgow and he is prepared to be patient. He has given me that impression strongly.

"I really don't need agents to be doing my job, but it's up to Graeme at the end of the day and Graeme did enquire about Eyal, as I thought he would, to see what the situation was.

"I had seen his agent Pinhas Zahari quoted regularly and I put two and two together that he was behind the whole thing."

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