DAVID Dunn believes ‘staying together’ will be the key to Blackburn Rovers’ Premier League survival hopes – after admitting Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion was not good enough.

The Rovers midfielder returned to Steve Kean’s starting line-up after a spell on the substitutes bench but was unable to stop the visitors slumping to a comprehensive loss.

Rovers remain in the relegation zone ahead of tomorrow’s visit of struggling Liverpool with Dunn fully aware time is ticking on their top flight future. Martin Olsson’s early own goal gave the Baggies the early advantage before second half goals from Marc-Antoine Fortune and Liam Ridgewell sealed Rovers’ misery.

Substitute Anthony Modeste’s late sending off compounded matters, with Dunn calling for a show of unity to help them out of the mire.

He said: “Togetherness and team spirit are the key in football. But especially now with six games left which are massive.

“It’s been a real testing season. It’s been difficult. Hard times. A couple of weeks ago, we thought we might have pulled away a bit but now we are right back in it. Like I say, we are going to have to be difficult to beat. If we do, I’m sure we are going to be okay.

“It was a little bit of a slow start but we need to be better than that really.”

West Brom were more than worthy of their half-time lead, with Rovers having failed to cause their hosts any real problems.

Kean’s men threatened a second half comeback during an explosive 15 minutes, but an inability to finish their chances allowed the Baggies to coast to victory.

“They won five corners in the first seven minutes, so they started quickly and we were up against it,” said Dunn.

“It was a difficult start for us.

“Luckily the other teams around us haven’t won, so it gives us a chance to go and get something on Tuesday and try to drag ourselves out.

“We need to pick some points up.

“I thought we started really well in the second half but the second goal killed us off a little bit.

“They aren’t great goals to concede. Set pieces, in particular, have killed us.

“You are always disappointed to concede like that but I think we have scored the most this season before now so it’s always difficult to swallow when one goes in against you.

“We are big boys. It’s not just us in this position.

“There are five teams down there all desperate to get out.”