BILLY McKinlay has a fighting chance of making Blackburn Rovers' crucial finale to the season against Newcastle at Ewood on Sunday.

The Scottish midfielder, who limped off at Coventry after taking a whack just above the ankle, is having intensive treatment at Brockhall.

But Rovers boss Roy Hodgson is optimistic that he will recover in time for Sunday's showdown against the FA Cup finalists which is set to decide Ewood's European hopes for next season.

The extra day, with all Premiership matches being played on Sunday with a 4pm kick-off time, will help McKinlay and the injury was a straightforward kick rather than a twist.

He was in a lot of pain at the weekend but the manager believes he has a good chance of being fit for the Newcastle game.

With Tim Sherwood (ankle injury) not expected to play again this season, McKinlay's presence alongside Garry Flitcroft in the centre of midfield is vital.

Rovers' European hopes improved slightly after last night's 3-3 draw between Crystal Palace and West Ham.

The Hammers, who have an inferior goal difference, are now two points behind Rovers and they entertain Leicester, another of the teams in the hunt, in their final match.

Aston Villa are still a threat to Rovers and they take on newly-crowned champions Arsenal.

The size of Villa's task could depend on what kind of team Arsene Wenger fields with the FA Cup final and a chance of the double the following weekend. Derby can also reach 55 points and they could still edge it on goal difference.

But victory for Rovers would settle all the debate, guaranteeing them sixth place and a UEFA Cup spot - their target at the start of the season - without having to wait and wonder if Chelsea win the European Cup Winners' Cup.

And this kind of cut-throat situation, when an entire season's hopes go on the line in the last match, is not an unfamiliar one to Hodgson or indeed many of his players.

Three years ago, it worked out for them with the title, the following season an outside chance of Europe was lost on the last day because of other results, despite a win at Chelsea.

At least they are still in the driving seat and Hodgson, who pits his wits against Kenny Dalglish on Sunday, recalled one of the first times he was involved in a last-game decider as a manager - his rival that day being Sven Goran Eriksson who could have been in charge at Ewood now.

"The championship I won (with Halmstad) in 1979 was all on the last day," he said. "Funnily enough it was against Eriksson who was with Gothenburg. We were playing at home to AIK and Gothenburg had put a good run together.

"We had been top of the table all season and they had a bad start but enjoyed a good run, a bit like the Arsenal, to move into second place.

"Had they won on the last day and we lost, then they would have taken our top spot.

"If we had drawn there was a risk of goal difference so to be certain we had to win. As it turned out we both won, so we won the league.

"It also happened with Switzerland. We had to win our last game against Estonia to qualify for the World Cup finals and then we had to beat Hungary in the last match to qualify for the European Championships."

There are still tickets available for the Newcastle game. Category A prices apply, £19-23, with concessions £10.

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