STRIKER Chris Brown will make his Blackburn Rovers debut in tonight’s Lancashire FA Senior Cup tie against Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village (7pm).

The 29-year-old has yet to feature in a competitive match for Rovers following his summer switch from Doncaster.

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Brown has spent the best part of five months on the sidelines after undergoing an operation to solve the knee injury that plagued him since the start of pre-season.

But, after scoring two goals in a behind-closed-doors friendly win over Carlisle United last Tuesday, he will be named in the line-up selected by Eric Kinder for tonight’s quarter-final tie.

Rovers U21s boss Kinder said: “Chris was excellent against Carlisle.

“He didn’t want to come off but I couldn’t keep him on because the fitness guys said he must only play 45 minutes.

“I was really pleased for him as he’s a really nice bloke and a top professional “I hope that’s the end of the injuries for him now and that he pushes on.”

The side Kinder picks tonight will largely be made up of members of his young U21 team, who are enjoying an encouraging campaign in U21s Premier League Division Two.

But he knows they will face a tough test this evening as the United side will be packed full of young players with first-team experience.

Kinder said: “We’ve done ever so well this season in the big games, such as Arsenal away when Theo Walcott and Abou Diaby played.

“We handled ourselves really well that night and we’ll have to be exactly the same on Tuesday night if we are going to get anything.

“These are the games you find out what your players are about.

"They’ve got to be brave, they’ve got to want to get on to the ball, they’ve got to want to play, and if they go and hide, they will get beat.

“If you can’t get yourself up for a game against Manchester United at any level, you’re in the wrong profession.”

The winners of tonight’s clash, which will be decided by penalties if it is level after 90 minutes, will face Wigan Athletic in the semi-finals.

It has been confirmed this afternoon that Brown will start the match along with fellow first-teamers Adam Henley, Chris Taylor and Yann Songo'o.

Right-back Ryan Nyambe, 16, will make his U21s debut for Rovers, who will be captained by midfielder Taylor.

Rovers team: Crump, Nyambe, Henley, Tanner, Songo'o, Daly, Mahoney, Taylor, Brown, Green, Rittenberg. Subs: Bauress, Williams, Doyle, Preston, Lavelle.