DAVID Dunn believes Blackburn Rovers can surprise the Premier League’s ‘high-flyers’ next season – as long as they solve their unexplainable away day woes.

Rovers’ talismanic midfielder should feature for Rovers in Saturday’s first pre-season friendly against Sturm Graz in Austria, and is already plotting the downfall of some of the Premier League’s more fancied sides.

Dunn fired 10 goals to help Sam Allardyce’s men to a creditable 10th last time round but, with pre-season now well and truly underway, the 30-year-old is not about to rest on his laurels.

Rovers’ top-half finish relied almost solely on their impressive form at Ewood Park but, with just three wins on their travels, Dunn insists there is still room for improvement.

He said: “The important thing is that at home we have a very good record and now we have to be looking to improving our away form next season.

“We know we haven’t produced good enough results away but we don’t think we are too far away from putting that right.

"If we do that next season, which we believe we will, and then keep our home form up, then I really believe we could surprise a few people.

“I am really confident we are going in the right direction.

"I am sure no one would think Blackburn Rovers would be able to compete with the top teams in the Premier League but we do.”

Rovers will start the season having spent less than the majority of their rivals in the summer transfer market but, with a handful of promising youngsters coming through the ranks, Dunn remains confident.

Martin Olsson, Steven Nzonzi, Nikola Kalinic, Phil Jones and Junior Hoilett all showed their potential in their first full Premier League season and, with the experience of Dunn, Michel Salgado, Ryan Nelsen and Paul Robinson to help them progress, Dunn sees some more good times ahead.

“Any game we go out we feel we can get a result and I don't see why we can't build on that over the next few years,” he said.

“We have a good squad of players, with some very young, very talented lads and also a good blend of experience.

“Last season didn’t surprise us, but maybe others weren't expecting us to be challenging for the top 10 certainly after the start we made.

“We don’t fear the top sides at all. I think if you look at Aston Villa, they were right up there but we went to their home ground on the last day of the season and, I’m not being funny, but in the second half we really showed them how to play.

“I think the biggest thing at the moment is our away form.

"If we can improve our away form next year there’s no reason why we can’t push on and get into a European place.

"If we keep our home form up and improve on our away form, then we can certainly close the gap.”