BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness today ruled out Andy Cole but welcomed back Dwight Yorke for the vital Premiership clash with Newcastle United at Ewood Park.

Summer signing Yorke is fit to face the Magpies after his hamstring injury has responded to intensive treatment during the last three weeks.

But fellow striker Cole has failed to shake off the calf injury he aggravated against Spurs a fortnight ago.

That means Egil Ostenstad looks set to continue up front and Souness has also included Matt Jansen in his squad with the fit-again striker pencilled in for a possible role from the substitutes' bench.

News of Yorke's return will come as a welcome boost after he failed to play any part in the last two games.

However, that has been tempered by Cole's absence, particularly as Damien Duff is also missing as a result of the hamstring injury he sustained while away on international duty with the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday night.

"It's good to have Dwight back but it's obviously a blow that Andy and Damien won't be involved," said Souness.

"In the last few months, it feels as though we've been getting Damien fit to play for his country but that's the way the game is. It's not Ireland's fault and it's not Damien's, either.

"Maybe we need to start looking at a training programme for him to prevent this kind of thing from happening again.

"It's no good to us if he's sat in the stand unable to play.

"He signed a very lucrative contract with us during the summer and we are not getting the benefit of that right now.

"But, like I've said, it's not Damien's fault, it's just the way things have happened."

On the game against Newcastle, Souness added: "I don't think I can ask any more of the players in terms of the football we are playing but we've got to start showing a bit more concentration at vital times."

Craig Short will return at the centre of defence after recovering from a calf injury but Souness has yet to decide who will be his partner.

Henning Berg has played two games in five games for Norway and he may be rested.

Rovers squad is likely to be: Friedel, Neill, Taylor, Short, Berg, Flitcroft, Dunn, Tugay, Thompson, Gillespie, Yorke, Ostenstad, Grabbi, Johansson, Curtis, Mahon, Kelly.