MARKUS Babbel could be out for up to six weeks after tearing a thigh muscle in yesterday's 2-0 home defeat to Fulham.

Blackburn Rovers' current defensive crisis deepened in the 28th minute of the Premiership clash at Ewood Park when he pulled up and limped out of the action.

The German was standing in at right back for the suspended Lucas Neill and is "likely to be out for a month to six weeks," according to Rovers boss Graeme Souness.

Babbel is returning to his native Germany this week, where a specialist will assess the extent of the damage.

With Neill banned for another two games, it leaves Souness short of cover in the area of the field that has suffered the most in Rovers' last three home games, all of which have yielded no points.

And after Turkish side Genclerbirligi romped through the Blackburn back line to record a 3-1 UEFA Cup first round first leg victory in midweek, Chris Coleman's side inflicted more punishment at Ewood yesterday.

Luis Boa Morte and Louis Saha were the men to pounce on more defensive slackness as they scored the goals that secured the three points for Fulham.

It leaves Rovers without a clean sheet this season, but Martin Taylor, who returned to the team to take Babbel's place in the centre of the defence yesterday, feels that it will only take one shut-out to turn things round.

"We just need a clean sheet to give the back four some confidence.," said Taylor

'I think some of it is individual errors but the problem is it's not just one person's errors, there's been a few this season.

"We'll work on it in training and hopefully in a few weeks we'll look back and wonder what all the fuss was about."

While Taylor was pleased to return to the side for the first time in a month following the 3-2 defeat to Manchester City, he revealed the dark cloud hanging over the dressing room following yesterday's defeat.

He said: "Everyone is disappointed in the changing room. We didn't get going and didn't get at them like we should when we're the home team.

"We've lost three on the bounce at home and the fans are right to be unhappy with the performances, as all the players are.

"Fulham came and played the way they wanted to and the early goal helped them because it deflated us and they sat back and soaked up the pressure. We didn't break them down as well as we should have.

"We deserved to lose. Against Liverpool we were down to ten men and Manchester City we shouldn't have lost, but we didn't do ourselves justice today.

"I'm definitely happy to get back in the team and just enjoying playing again but we're all disappointed with the performance and the result. The mood's not great."