Blackburn boss Steve Kean revealed that defender Gael Givet was substituted at Sunderland after suffering heart palpitations.

Kean also had to cope with the loss of Michel Salgado with suspected fractured ribs and Jason Lowe through concussion in the last-gasp 2-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light.

Asked about Givet, Kean said: "He has had it before and he was feeling as if his pulse was pounding out of his neck.

"The doctor said there was a potential that he could collapse, so we had to just get him off. He has had it before in the past when his heart goes out of synch and starts to fire at a different time.

"The doctor said we needed to get him off because we could have ended up with a much more serious situation."

PA Sport