STEPHANE Henchoz could give Blackburn Rovers boss Brian Kidd a timely boost by returning to the squad for tonight's game against title-chasing Chelsea.

But it might also cause the manager something of a dilemma, after Marlon Broomes and Darren Peacock were - to use his own word - "outstanding" at Newcastle on Sunday.

Henchoz missed the cup clash with a thigh strain but there are fairly high hopes he will pass a fitness test and offer Kidd some choice in the centre of defence.

And Rovers have not yet given up on the chances of some of their other casualties being available.

With Garry Flitcroft ruled out until the end of the season and Tim Sherwood gone, Billy McKinlay's presence has become even more important.

In his absence, Rovers look lightweight in midfield but he may be able to play through the pain of a persistent groin injury and return.

Jason McAteer should be back in midfield tonight and the manager also has to decide whether to find an attacking role for Matt Jansen.

Both are free to play after being ineligible for the FA Cup match.

David Dunn should also have shaken off the knock he suffered to the head on Sunday, but Jason Wilcox serves the second of a three-match ban.

Kidd is under no illusions about the test that awaits Rovers tonight, with Chelsea anxious to stay on the heels of the leaders and still unbeaten at Stamford Bridge. But he has got the away form back on track, culminating in the win at Aston Villa.

Rovers' starting line-up is expected to come from: Filan, Kenna, Peacock, Broomes, Croft, Gillespie, Dunn, Marcolin, Duff, Sutton, Ward, McAteer, Jansen, Henchoz, McKinlay, Flowers.

Chelsea bounced back to form at Hillsborough on Saturday and player-manager Gianluca Vialli said: "We like to play well, but it's not easy because of the fixture schedule. It's nice to see that, after a few games in which we didn't perform to our best, we are now playing very good football."

Dennis Wise starts his latest ban tonight and Chelsea will have to check injured Albert Ferrer.

They will choose from: De Goey, Ferrer, Desailly, Leboeuf, Le Saux, Petrescu, Morris, Di Matteo, Babayaro, Vialli, Zola, Goldbaek, Terry, Forsell, Newton, Lambourde, Myers, Nicholls, Hitchcock.

Rovers, and the rest of the Premiership have lost out to Celtic in the race to sign Scotland's highly-rated under-15 captain Mark Fotheringham.

The midfielder turned down a personal plea from Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson after training with them, as well as Newcastle, Chelsea and Everton. And he claimed to have received inquiries from all 20 Premiership sides.

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