Blackburn manager Mark Hughes is facing a striker crisis ahead of Saturday's FA Cup third-round tie against Coventry at Ewood Park.Jason Roberts (foot) and Matt Derbyshire (hip) are both struggling to be fit, while Roque Santa Cruz has a groin injury, although Hughes had planned to rest the Paraguayan for the visit of the Sky Blues.

That leaves Benni McCarthy as Rovers' first-choice forward, with Maceo Rigters and Paul Gallagher, who recently returned from a loan spell at Preston, also vying for a starting berth.

Robbie Savage is included in the squad despite speculation continuing to link him with a move away from the club, but the game comes too soon for fellow midfielder Steven Reid (calf).

Rovers (from): Friedel, Emerton, Samba, Nelsen, Warnock, Khizanishvili, Bentley, Mokoena, Tugay, Pedersen, McCarthy, Dunn, Savage, Berner, Olsson, Roberts, Derbyshire, Rigters, Gallagher, Treacy, Brown.

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