ANDY COLE and Damien Duff will be in the starting line-up as Blackburn Rovers return to the serious business of Premiership football when Aston Villa visit Ewood Park tomorrow afternoon.

Manager Graeme Souness said: "Damien Duff and Andy Cole will play tomorrow," he confirmed having admitted that they were not fully fit for Thursday's clash with Celtic in Glasgow.

Duff started the game but came off in the second half while Andy Cole replaced Egil Ostenstad at the interval but Souness knows they will strip fitter after a few more games.

"It is not that they weren't fit, it is a case of being match fit. For some players it takes three games, others more and they both came back to action against Celtic after a break. That is why they will play on Sunday."

Villa may have had an indifferent start to the season but there is no way in-form Rovers will be under-estimating Graham Taylor's side.

They scored their first away goal of the season at Old Trafford a week ago and Souness admitted: "We had them watched at Man United and they played very well, it looked a very good Villa team.

"They will have got great confidence from that and we have had a hard game at Celtic but we will be ready for the challenge.

"Graham Taylor is a vastly experienced manager and it is not for me to talk about his situation," he said."

Meanwhile, Craig Hignett, as expected, has joined Coventry on loan until the end of the season.