BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness has turned up the heat ahead of tonight's crucial six-pointer with fellow strugglers Ipswich at Ewood by insisting a victory would give his side a major psychological boost in the battle to beat the drop.

Souness, who celebrates two years at the Ewood helm later this week, wants an early anniversary present in the form of three more valuable Premiership points.

And, if Rovers can win back-to-back league games for the first time this season, that will be enough to lift them out of the bottom three for the first time since their 2-0 defeat at Fulham last month.

"Obviously, you don't like to see yourself in the bottom three so there's an added incentive for us to go out and win tonight," said Souness.

"But as I've said before, there's still going to be lots of twists and turns between now and the end of the season so nothing will be decided on the outcome of this game no matter how big it is.

"Looking at their fixture list, Ipswich have got a very hard run-in and no-one will know that more than them.

"So they'll see this as a game in which they really have to take something from.

"But, for our part, we are the team at home and we'll be aiming to set about them in the same way we did against Aston Villa."

That 3-0 win against Villa last week was only Rovers' second at Ewood in the league since the middle of October.

But, though that has clearly raised the spirit of everyone in the camp, Souness insists it's vital his players show the same effort and commitment tonight against an Ipswich side who are desperate for points themselves.

"My attitude has always been you've got to prove yourself every time you go out onto the pitch," continued Souness.

"You can't take anything from previous games into the following game other than a bit of confidence, but if you then become over-confident, that can also work against you.

"So we have to be as determined as we were against Villa, and by that I mean fiercely determined not to lose."

With every point precious in the battle to beat the drop, Souness will again employ David Dunn on the right at the expense of Keith Gillespie.

And the Ewood boss has explained he believes that is a necessary step as he seeks greater midfield stability.

"We have been entertaining this season but what has cost us has been the fact we've tried to play with two wingers in Damien Duff and Keith Gillespie," said Souness.

"If you look at all the teams who are successful, very few go that way - they have more working types in midfield."

"It would be lovely to go with both of them but, for the sake of balance in midfield, we have to be more solid."

Souness will have the luxury of a virtually full-strength squad to pick from apart from the suspended Craig Short who is serving the fourth game of a five-match ban.

Meanwhile, former Rovers favourite Marcus Bent returns to Ewood tonight for the first time since he left for Ipswich in a £3 million move at the back end of November.

And Souness believes the 23-year-old will be itching to prove a point against his old club as he looks to fire the goals to save the Blues from the drop.

"I sure Marcus will see it as a chance to do that," said Souness.

"He was very popular here amongst the players and he was a good lad to work with.

"But we saw it as good business to make a bit of profit on him given what we had and what our intentions were to bring in someone else like Andy Cole.

"So I only wish him well but obviously only after tonight."

Rovers from: Friedel, Neill, Bjornebye, Berg, Johansson, Flitcroft, Tugay, Dunn, Duff, Jansen, Cole, Yordi, Unsal, Hughes, Hignett, Gillespie, Taylor, Miller.