GRAEME Souness's creaking defence must find a way of blunting Nicolas Anelka as Blackburn Rovers prepare to make their first visit to the City of Manchester Stadium tomorrow.

Rovers will make history by clocking up their 2,400th top-flight victory if they collect maximum points off struggling Manchester City.

But Souness knows the key to success lies in his side's ability to cope with Anelka, who has provided most of the attacking thrust for Kevin Keegan's team this term.

The fiery Frenchman, who scored against Rovers in the reverse of this fixture in August, has netted in four of City's last five games.

That makes him the man to stop tomorrow as Rovers look to avenge that 3-2 defeat at Ewood earlier in the season when Anelka bagged the winner in the 87th minute.

"Nicolas Anelka is obviously their dangerman and he showed exactly what he can do when he scored against us earlier in the season so we'll have to watch him closely," said defender Craig Short, who is fighting a losing battle to be fit for the game.

"The main thing going to a place like that is to do well in the first 20 minutes.

"Their crowd really tends to get at them if things aren't going well and, given some of their recent results, that could be a real test for them.

"We are a little bit nervous and edgy ourselves at the moment but it's probably even worse for them because they've gone so long without a win in the league.

"So our gameplan will be based on trying to frustrate them early on in the hope that their fans start to turn against them."

Ironically, City went to the top of the Premiership table for the first time in their history when they beat Rovers 3-2 in August.

But Keegan's side have never managed to build on that flying start and the root of their problems has been their home form.

The last time they tasted victory at their plush new Eastlands Stadium was a 6-2 win against Bolton on October 18.

Since then, they have drawn five and lost two which has coincided with the team's slide down the table.

But Rovers will be concentrating on their own gameplan, especially in the defence, after shipping four last week against Bolton.

Boss Graeme Souness said today: "We had a good first-half last week. We tried something different to match up with Bolton because they play a certain style and for the largest part it worked.

"But as good as we were in the first half, we were horrible in the second half.

"That's one reason why we've conceded goals by the bucket load this season but no matter what team we've put out and no matter what formation we've played, the individuals who've been in those positions have been making ricks which has cost us dearly.

"Playing with a regular, consistent back four would help us but we'll have to wait and see if that happens.

"All I can say is, to date, we've been poor defensively."

Rovers will be boosted by the return of Garry Flitcroft who looks set to face his former club after a one-match ban kept him out of last week's 4-3 defeat at the hands of Bolton.

Flitcroft's presence in the centre of the park will certainly provide Rovers with more steel.

Martin Taylor may lose his place to Nissa Johansson after Craig Short was ruled out, and Andy Todd is definitely missing through suspension.

Just goal difference currently separates City and Rovers in the table, which makes the outcome of tomorrow's game so crucial to both clubs in their battles for survival.

Souness added: "It might be an entertaining 5-5 draw. But looking at City the other night, they appear to have changed their style and they've maybe become a bit more direct.

"They don't look to play out from the back anymore and they play a more in-your-face type of football so I can't see there being a lot of goals."