JOHN Filan looks as though he has the edge over Tim Flowers to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tomorrow night, as Blackburn Rovers boss Roy Hodgson wrestles with his latest selection dilemma.
Colin Hendry, Billy McKinlay and Garry Flitcroft will all return to the Rovers squad after suspension as they bid to revive their ailing challenge for a UEFA Cup place.
But it is the choice of goalkeeper which presents Hodgson with his most difficult decision.
The Rovers boss said in the wake of Saturday's goalless draw with Wimbledon that Australian international Filan, who played his first senior game after eight months on the injured list, would probably retain his place.
But Flowers, who was on the bench, was close to being ready to face Wimbledon.
Now, with a few more days intensive training behind him, he is expected to be fully fit and raring to reclaim his place against Chelsea.
He has made a quick recovery from surgery and it's a tough one for the manager to call with Hodgson clearly reluctant to demote Filan as Rovers kept a rare clean sheet against the Dons.
"John Filan doesn't deserve to lose his place after his performance unless something untoward happens," said Hodgson. "Tim Flowers might be fit, he's close. But our best goalkeeper this season has been John Filan.
"If you look at what he did at the start of the season, he's got the best record."
In one sense, it is a repeat of the situation last August when Flowers, again, was recovering from surgery.
It is a moot point as to whether the England man would have been able to reclaim his first team spot so soon.
For Filan set such high standards that he could well have kept him out of the side.
Flowers, however, will be doubly eager to get back in the team with the World Cup finals looming and the second - possibly a third - goalkeeping place behind David Seaman still to be decided.
Glenn Hoddle should already know, of course, what Flowers can do and there are international friendlies before the World Cup. Rovers' concern, however, is to get back to winning ways and if they are to retain realistic hopes of an automatic European spot, they really need to win one of this weeks two away games.
Tickets for Chelsea are priced £21 (no concessions) and will NOT be available on the day of the game.
Tonight's Lancashire FA Youth Cup semi-final against Everton at Ewood (kick-off 7.30pm) will not be a dress rehearsal for Friday's FA Youth Cup final first leg.
Rovers will field a younger than normal side with the likely FA Youth Cup line-up not involved. Everton are expected to follow suit.
"We are going to give some of our younger boys who haven't figured significantly in the FA Youth Cup run a game," said coach Rob Kelly.
"It will give them a chance of playing at Ewood and we can use this game as part of their development.
"We would like to win it, but it will be great experience for the lads and, whatever the results of the cup games, their overall development remains the most important thing."
Rovers, who have some schoolboys on duty, will line up: Bingham, McCann, Howson, Richards, Lomax, Whittle, Baldacchino, Hawe, Connolly, Foster, Lawless. Subs: Flitcroft, Hind, Hardy, Schofield, Taylor. Admission is £3.
West Ham defender David Unsworth is reported to be looking for a move back to the North but I understand his name has not been mentioned as a potential transfer target at Ewood.
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