Southampton v Blackburn Rovers - Peter White's big match preview

IT'S two and a half years since the spectre of Chris Marsden last haunted Blackburn Rovers.

But, if you listen to the Lee Carsley lookalike who now stalks Southampton's midfield after a £700,000 February transfer from Birmingham, it sounds like he is aiming for a repeat performance.

Back in October 1996, Marsden produced an outstanding performance to help Second Division Stockport County boot Premiership Rovers out of the Coca-Cola Cup at Ewood Park.

Now his thoughts are centred on avoiding a return to Stockport - with Saints in the First Division next season.

And he is convinced they can do it.

Before Jekyll and Hyde Southampton continued their awful away sequence - seven successive defeats - at Aston Villa last Saturday, Marsden was convinced they would survive.

Even though they crashed 3-0 at Villa Park, he remained upbeat, and has pinpointed games against relegation rivals like Rovers and Everton at The Dell as key fixtures in his survival plan.

"We know we are playing for our livelihood and that we are also carrying the hopes of the fans," he said.

"But we won't get relegated.

"We believe in ourselves. The statistics probably don't show that but we do."

Southampton know they are unlikely to survive by what they do at home alone and manager David Jones admits they must also pick up points away from the intimidating Dell. But Marsden is adamant - the Saints are staying up.

"We need points away from home but the away record is not preying on the minds of the lads," he added.

"People go on about it and we feel like shoving the words down their throats.

"But we will escape and the plus factor is that we've got games at our place against the likes of Blackburn and Everton which are massive six-pointers."

Marsden is not the only recent change in a somewhat new-look Southampton side as far as Rovers are concerned.

Goalkeeper Neil Moss will face them tomorrow, having taken over from the injured first choice Paul Jones, who is not expected to play again this season after picking up a back problem on international duty for Wales.

Like Marsden - and the rest of the Southampton squad when they are playing at home! - Moss exudes confidence, despite the club's precarious position.

"It's a terrible shame for Paul to have suffered the injury but there's nothing I can do about that," said the 23-year-old keeper.

"I just have to get on with doing all I can to make sure we don't miss him.

"I've had to wait for this opportunity to play and I intend to take it."

Hassan Kachloul, a last-minute substitute at Ewood in November, is another new face for Rovers to ponder.

But, when it comes to changes, the one thing they need to alter most of all is their record at the Dell.

It is 60 years ago this weekend since Rovers last won a League game there, in April 1939.

Time for a change!

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