BLACKBURN boss Mark Hughes is sweating on the fitness of Craig Bellamy ahead of tonight's Carling Cup semi-final second leg with Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The Welsh international is available again after completing a one-match suspension, which kept him out of Satuday's 1-0 win at Newcastle.

However, the 26-year-old missed several days' training last week due to a hamstring problem and Hughes admits it's touch and go as to whether he will line up against United or not.

"We have to be mindful of Craig's problem," said Hughes.

"It's not something that has cleared up as yet, so we have to be careful, and we will be.

"But given the type of player he is - dynamic, explosive - that will always put a strain on his hamstrings, so we will have to play it by ear and see which way we go with it.

"We just have to try to make sure we get him back as soon as we can.

"He has trained a couple of days, and hopefully there's no reaction and he will be fit and well for the game.

"It is still a concern, but he will be travelling with the squad."

Hughes is desperate for Bellamy to be involved in some capacity, particularly as he is already without Paul Dickov, who has been ruled out for up to six weeks with a dislocated shoulder.

The Rovers boss will look to bring in a new forward on loan before the transfer deadline expires at the end of the month, but that won't help him tonight should Bellamy join Dickov on the sidelines, leaving Shefki Kuqi and David Bentley as the only two fit senior strikers in Hughes' squad.

"There may be a possibility of bringing someone in but whether or not we are able to do something is dependent on a number of factors," added Hughes.