ALAN Shearer is still gunning for European qualification with Blackburn Rovers this season.

And he is aiming for lift-off against Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow on what will be a poignant Ewood afternoon for the England striker as he clocks up yet another century.

It was against Wednesday on September 25, 1993, that Shearer made his full return to Premiership action, following the cruciate ligament surgery that threatened his career.

Tomorrow, again with the Owls in opposition, he clocks up his 100th consecutive League appearance, having played in every single Premiership game since that day.

It's a remarkable record and Rovers have asked fans to be in their seats early tomorrow, as there will also be a special presentation to him on the pitch about 20 minutes before kick off. His 100th Premiership goal was named "Goal of the Month" by BBC TV's Match of the Day and he has also been awarded the Carling No 1 Award for achieving his "ton" last month.

But Shearer himself is already looking forward and he said: "Europe has to be our target, it's the only one left for us to go for.

"We have to climb as high as we can in the table and keep our League run going.

"It was a big disappointment to lose against Ipswich. I thought we had the chances to win but it just wasn't our night.

"We also hit the bar, had what in my opinion was a perfectly good goal disallowed and saw their keeper make some world-class saves. "Football's a crazy game when you think that only Manchester United and Spartak Moscow had beaten us at Ewood this season.

"But we let ourselves down."

Shearer, however, is not one to brood and he can be proud of his latest century.

"It means a lot to me. But that's what I get paid for," he said.

"I have been unlucky enough to have had a serious injury but hopefully I have had my share now.

"A lot of people said when I came back that I would pick up other knocks and miss games but I have tried to be strong and positive. My knee has never been a problem at all but there have been other things and times when I maybe shouldn't have played, especially towards the end of last season. But I've been lucky enough to keep going."

Shearer still remembers the frustrations 100 games ago. "I was frustrated at the time when I was held back and put on the bench. But looking back now, I can appreciate that it was the right thing to do," he added.

Meanwhile, Rovers boss Ray Harford has to decide whether to make much change in the wake of the FA Cup defeat though it seems unlikely.

There's still a stomach bug going around and some players may need checking.

Rovers will choose from: Flowers, Berg, Hendry, Coleman, Kenna, Ripley, Batty, Bohinen, Gallacher, Shearer, Newell, Sherwood, McKinlay, Warhurst, Fenton, Gudmundsson, Holmes, Marker.

Wednesday are also out of the FA Cup and were in the process of selling Andy Sinton to Spurs today for £1.5 million.

Lance Key comes into the squad as stand-by keeper for injured Kevin Pressman. They are set to choose from: Woods, Atherton, Nolan, Nicol, Waddle, Hirst, Degryse, Walker, Kovacevic, Whittingham, Briscoe, Stefanovic, Hyde, Bright, Key.

Goalkeeper Shay Given has joined Sunderland on loan and could go straight into their promotion-chasing side.

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