ROVERS will be looking to clinch their Premiership survival in style at the weekend knowing that three points at Southampton will banish fears of the drop once and for all.

Caretaker-boss Tony Parkes sends his troops into battle at The Dell urging them: "Let's get this over and done with and start looking forward to next season."

Parkes set a target of 42 points as the cut-off mark, but realises that his side would still not be mathematically safe even if they draw against relegation-threatened Saints.

He said: "We need a win to make certain of survival and the sooner the better. I'll be looking for three points on Saturday to get it all over."

With games against relegation threatened Middlesbrough and Leicester still to come, Parkes admitted he could have done with an easier run-in.

He added: "We could have done with games against the likes of Chelsea, Wimbledon and Spurs who have little to play for. But at the end of the day there are no easy games in the Premiership so it's not worth worrying about."

It would be a great boost for the Blues if they could snatch a couple of wins from their remaining three games and set themselves up confidently for next season after a disappointing campaign.

Tim Flowers and Jeff Kenna are sure to get a mixed reception on their return to The Dell while ex-Ewood Park star Robbie Slater will be out to get one over his old club as Southampton frantically search for the points to keep them up.

Meanwhile, Parkes has admitted he is upset that Graeme Le Saux has spoken about his future at the club with the season set to reach its climax.

He said: "It's a bit naughty of Graeme to break his silence before the season has ended because it does have an unsettling effect on the players.

"But the main thing is he is getting on with doing his best for Blackburn Rovers. We need all our best players to complete the job of staying in the Premiership. We can then get down to discussing his future."

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