ROVERS boss Graeme Souness is sweating on the availability of strikers Matt Jansen and Yordi ahead of the game against Newcastle.

Jansen has lost a stone in weight as a result of the stomach bug which ruled him out of England duty last week and he only resumed training yesterday.

His replacement, Yordi, meanwhile faces a race against time of a different variety after he made a marathon journey back to Spain at the weekend to witness the birth of his first child.

"Yordi flew from Teeside to London on Saturday night and then from London to Madrid, where he picked up a car and then drove to his home in Cadiz where he arrived at five in the morning and his wife had a baby at six o'clock," said Souness.

"So we'll have to see what kind of shape he's in when he gets back."