MATT Jansen will be back in the reckoning for tomorrow's home game with struggling Swindon Town, when Ewood boss Tony Parkes is demanding his Blackburn Rovers players start living up to their reputation as the Manchester United of Division One.

Jansen, forced to sit out last Saturday's defeat at Bolton with an ankle injury, came through training yesterday - along with Craig Short and Keith Gillespie.

All three could be in the 16 for a game Rovers simply must win or risk losing all credibility in the race for play-off places. Though Jansen would seem to have the best chance of playing, as neither Short nor Gillespie have started a senior game for months.

And Parkes, while satisfied with the team's home performances so far, wants them to respond in the right manner to the challenge they face week-in, week-out.

"We are the Manchester United of the First Division and they show they can handle it when they face a cup final every week," said Parkes.

"They always respond to it in the right way but when teams have stepped up their performances against us, there have been times when we have not been able to cope with it.

"The problems have mainly been away from home. But everybody tells us how good our players are and we have to prove that by getting back to winning ways.

"If we don't get a win against Swindon then obviously we have problems."

Rovers could not really ask for anything more after three successive League and Cup defeats than a home match against the team which has been cast adrift at the foot of the table. Swindon look certainties for relegation but Rovers cannot afford any slips, especially with two tough away matches coming up next week at Birmingham (Tuesday) and Stockport (Saturday).

Both those sides are rivals for a play-off spot and Rovers need to go into the games with the confidence of another home win under their belt.

Parkes, clearly, will contemplate changes after the blows of defeat at Barnsley and Bolton in the last two League games.

But he has been giving little away.

Hopes that Garry Flitcroft and Billy McKinlay could get another 90 minutes with the reserves in midweek were dashed by the weather.

But, as compensation, Rovers organised a practice match among themselves at Brockhall on Wednesday morning and both came through well.

Parkes does not want to bring them back too quickly or take chances. But Flitcroft, in particular, believes he is not too far away from full fitness and, with three games in eight days, a return to the squad might well be close.

And the manager hinted as such when he said: "We don't want to rush them but Garry is in front of Billy in his progress and, with Lee Carsley being injured, he might have to come back a little bit quicker than we first thought."

Tomorrow's starting line-up will come from: Kelly, Grayson, Peacock, Dailly, Davidson, Johnson, McAteer, Frandsen, Duff, Ward, Blake, Dunn, Ostenstad, Gillespie, Broomes, Jansen, Short.

Former Ewood keeper Frank Talia, believed to be wanted by Wolves, could be handed a recall for Swindon after recovering from an ankle injury. Loan keeper Bart Griemink deputised last Saturday and performed well but Talia might get the nod from the Swindon boss, another ex-Rover Jimmy Quinn.

Quinn, now 40, could even start himself for the cash-strapped club, who recently went into administration, and they have several problems to sort out, not least in the centre of defence where Gareth Davies is suspended.

Full back Sol Davis, however, is fit to return after injury.

Swindon are expected to choose from: Griemink, Talia, Robinson, Hall, Reeves, Leitch, Davis, A Williams, Hay, Hulbert, J Williams, Howe, Quinn, Cowe, Campagna, Griffin.

Rovers confirmed today they had made a firm bid - believed to be £50,000 basic with a few 'add-ons' up to about £75,000 - for West Brom keeper Alan Miller.

They seem to be confident of getting their man and Parkes said: "West Brom have said they will come back to us next week but it is looking quite good at the moment."

Alan Kelly, Jason McAteer and Damien Duff have all been named in the Republic of Ireland squad for the game against the Czech Republic at Lansdowne Road on Wednesday week, February 23.

The Republic have also arranged to meet Scotland in a Dublin friendly on Tuesday May 30.

Ewood youngster Peter Murphy has been named in the Republic of Ireland under 21s.

Nathan Blake has been included by Mark Hughes in the Welsh squad for their friendly in Qatar on February 23.

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