SCOTLAND boss Craig Brown knows more than most about how to handle Newcastle strikers Alan Shearer and Duncan Ferguson.

In his role as National coach, he has managed Ferguson and plotted how to keep Shearer in check.

Brown spoke exclusively to ANDY NEILD about how he expects the key battles in Monday night's eagerly anticipated Cup clash to pan out........

SHEARER: Whoever picks him up needs to have strength and presence because I think Alan Shearer is a terrific striker.

Even when he was supposed to be having a really bad patch, he was still a very dangerous player.

You've got to be aggressive and you've got to be vigilant because he's still the complete striker as far as I'm concerned.

He's strong, he's powerful, he can shoot with either foot and he can pull off at the back post or nip in in front of you.

Marking him requires total concentration because all he needs is a sight of goal and he'll make you pay for it.

And Blackburn will need plenty of cover because either Shearer or Ferguson will be looking to flick balls through for the likes of Kevin Gallacher, who will be running from deep.

So whatever Rovers do, they can't afford to get caught square.

PEACOCK: I must admit I've not seen much of Darren Peacock since his days with Queens Park Rangers.

But he's another tough guy who appears to have a good appreciation of the game.

And his experience is certainly going to count for a lot against Newcastle's front two.

He'll need all his strength and aggression against Shearer and Ferguson.

Those two relish a physical battle so you've got to match them in that department otherwise they'll punish you. Duncan Ferguson is one of the finest players there is in the air.

He's also a very aggressive player and when you come up against him it's all about timing.

Your timing has got to be spot on if you want to win anything.

But he's far more than just a target man.

For a big man his movement is good as well and that's something the likes of Paul Sturrock, Walter Smith and Archie Knox have done a lot of work on during his career.

His awareness of other players around him is excellent and he's also got two great feet, but he's particularly strong down the left hand side.

I rate Christian Dailly very highly - he's got every attribute to be the best.

He's great in the air, he's got bags of pace, and he reads the game exceptionally well.

As a youngster, he was so fast and so much ahead of everyone else that he could make a mistake and still recover.

But playing at the top level you get punished for that, so he's got to increase his concentration levels if he wants to fulfil his potential.

He'll certainly need total concentration on Monday night against Shearer and Ferguson.

But he's proved he can do it with Scotland against England recently and he's been an excellent player generally for the national side.

When we play three centre backs he's an excellent player to have because he can play as a marker or as the third defender.

I expect him to cope with most of the set pieces because he's a very fine header of the ball. But, like Peacock, he'll have to be careful because the space behind Rovers' central defenders is going to be crucial. THE VERDICT: It looks to have all the makings of a cracking cup tie and it all hinges on how Blackburn handle Newcastle's front two.

If I was Tony Parkes, then I'd defend zonally if Ferguson is mobile - Peacock taking care of the right, Dailly the left.

And I think with Blackburn at home, they're in with a shout.

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