GRAEME Souness will send his troops out to battle tomorrow with a simple message ringing in their ears -- stop Robbie Fowler or pay a heavy price!

Ewood chief Souness looked on with envy last week when Leeds boss David O'Leary stunned the football world with his shock swoop for the former Liverpool hot-shot.

And now the Rovers boss is tipping Fowler and new strike-partner Mark Viduka to form one of the most fearsome forward lines in the Premiership -- but only after tomorrow's clash is out the way.

"Given time, I think they could develop into a wonderful partnership," said Souness.

"Viduka is someone who can get hold of it and, physically, he's a very strong man with presence.

"And Robbie is a very intelligent footballer who can play with anybody so they have all the makings of a top partnership.

"For our part, then, we've just got to make sure we are ready to meet that challenge and stop them from performing against us.

"We know this is a very difficult game for us but as for how difficult, I'll tell you at 4pm tomorrow.

"It's a challenge I'm looking forward to, though, and we have to go about it in a positive manner.

"Leeds are a very good team, they've been together for a while now, and they've done well over the last few years without actually winning anything.

"So they've got quality players right through their side.

"Kewell is a man with great individual ability and they've got great strength in central midfield, particularly if Lee Bowyer plays. "But, like all good teams, they can hurt you from more than one area and that's what makes them so formidable."

After the disappointment of last week's setback against Middlesbrough, Souness knows a win would come as a welcome boost ahead of a tough trip to Newcastle.

But, despite Rovers' recent lack of goals in the league, he is refusing to panic about his options up front.

"As long as we keep playing the right way and keep making chances then the goals will come, I'm sure of that," said Souness.

"It would be hard for anyone to say we didn't deserve to score last week because of the amount of chances we created.

"So, as long as that's still the case, we should be okay.

"I'm still on the look-out for a striker but I also have faith in the players we've already got at the club."

Souness had hoped to welcome back skipper Garry Flitcroft tomorrow after injury.

But Rovers' medical staff yesterday advised the player to give the tear in his groin another week to heal.

And defender Stig Bjornebye will also be absent after failing to recover from a calf injury.

Rovers' squad is: Friedel, Kelly, Johansson, Johnson, Duff, Neill, Taylor, Berg, Short, Ostenstad, Grabbi, Hughes, Jansen, Dunn, Gillespie, Tugay, Mahon, Curtis, Hignett.

Meanwhile, Leeds boss David O'Leary's plans have been ravaged by injuries and suspensions.

United are currently without seven players through injury, while Alan Smith starts a three-match ban and Seth Johnson serves a one-match suspension.

The only ray of light for O'Leary is that Fowler is available again after missing United's UEFA Cup clash with Grasshoppers on Thursday due to ineligibility, while Dominic Matteo returns to the centre of defence having recovered from an Achilles injury.