MATT Jansen's season looks to be over as Blackburn Rovers boss Brian Kidd has suffered another stunning injury blow in his battle to maintain Premiership status at Ewood.

And there are also fears over how much Billy McKinlay and Lee Carsley might be able to contribute to the relegation run-in after both suffered a recurrence of their injury problems last night.

But the bad news about Jansen has already been confirmed.

The classy England under-21 striker got the results of a scan on his knee shortly before Rovers crashed to a 1-0 defeat at Highbury and they were not good.

Jansen has a torn cartilege and faces surgery which will almost certainly rule him out of the club's last six games as they struggle for survival.

It is the last thing the Ewood boss needed to hear, for he also had to substitute the returning Billy McKinlay and recent signing Lee Carsley against Arsenal because of a recurrence of their injury problems.

Jansen picked up his injury in last Saturday's goalless draw with Middlesbrough when he was taken off a few minutes from time.

It was kept quiet, hoping for the best, but, while his team-mates travelled to London for last night's game, he went to hospital for a scan and the worst fears of the physios were realised.

Rovers' injury list during this so-far catastrophic season has reached staggering proportions and even some of those players currently striving to keep the club in the Premiership are not fully fit.

Jansen has made just eight starts since his £4 million signing from Crystal Palace and has claimed three crucial goals. But now it seems he has played his final part in the battle.

It is difficult not to sympathise with Kidd who is waiting to hear the verdict on McKinlay and Carsley.

He sprang something of a surprise by recalling McKinlay last night, after the Scottish international had returned to training with the squad only last week.

McKinlay had not played since the away victory at Aston Villa two months ago following which he had to have groin surgery.

He restored some stability to Rovers' midfield before having to be substituted at the interval of a game which provided plenty of controversy with two red cards and a host of yellows.

They just managed to stay out of the bottom three on goal difference but now face more problems as they prepare for the do-or-die last six matches.

"Lee Carsley went out for his first game for a month and Billy McKinlay came back after an operation, he hasn't even had a reserve game," said Kidd after a deserved Arsenal win. "In defence of the players, it doesn't help.

"We've had a makeshift midfield for weeks and that's your engine room."

So will they be able to bounce back and make a contribution to the most important period in Ewood history since the title was won?

"Billy is feeling the problem in his stomach but he wanted to play and we knew what kind of game it was going to be against the Gunners. You need a bit of experience in there against a very good team," said the manager.

"Unfortunately, he got a reaction and so did Lee Carsley to his ankle. "We keep wrapping them up and getting them off the treatment table.

"But it's going to be difficult for Billy after being off for six weeks.

"We won't know for a couple of days but, obviously, it doesn't look good.

"Plus, with Lee getting a reaction to his ankle, we'll have to wait and see on that."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger had no doubts about his team's superiority on the night.

"I thought we played well, especially in the second half, and created a lot of chances," he said.

"We deserved to win."

Rovers Reserves take on Preston at Ewood tonight (kick-off 7pm).

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