GRAEME Souness has labelled tomorrow's relegation showdown with Leeds United as "the biggest game since I came to the club."
With just three points separating the sides on either side of the Divison One cut-off point, the clash at Ewood Park is pivotal to both club's hopes of survival.
Although they would still be ahead of their opponents on goal difference, defeat could drag Blackburn into the bottom three by the time they go to Fulham on Monday.
So the importance of the Easter programme to the future of Rovers is not lost on Souness.
"Tomorrow's game is bigger than the League Cup final, it's the biggest since I've been here," said Souness.
"It's a monster weekend for us given that we play two games in three days, especially with one of them being against Leeds."
And the manager will be urging his players to think about their own footballing futures when they go into battle at Ewood tomorrow.
Souness reckons three wins from their remaining seven games will be enough to keep them up but knows his stars will have to fight for their right to stay in the top flight.
"There's no hiding from the situation, we have to face up to it," he added.
"It's a new experience for some of them and they will be richer for it at the end of the day, whatever the outcome is.
"We've not been performing at home but we have to rise above that. We have to be solid and determined to win because it's not about ability and tactics.
"It's about who wants to win the most because we are fighting and they are fighting, so it's about the players and whether they want to play in the Premiership next season.
"It's a case of saying to them, 'Where do you want to be playing your football next season?' And it doesn't need me to tell them."
Souness is insisting that there is no hangover from the 4-0 defeat at Liverpool on Sunday, a result which has left Rovers in what the manager calls "a very precarious position".
"We've got to put that behind us," said Souness. "It's the first time we've been absolutely mullered and we'd like to think it's a one-off.
"We didn't take part in the game but that's all behind us now."
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