CHRIS Sutton is banking on his Blackburn Rovers team-mates to help him beat his ban blues.

Ewood's leading goalscorer is forced to sit out tomorrow's home game against West Ham and summed up his feelings in one word - "Sick!"

And just to pile on the personal agony, Sutton's one-game suspension also means he will miss out on a confrontation with close pal Ian Pearce, who returns to Ewood for the first time since his move to Upton Park.

The recently-capped England striker wants Rovers to ease his double disappointment by beating the Hammers to go into the festive programme on top note.

Kevin Gallacher looks like having to shoulder the major scoring burden against the Hammers in his partner's absence tomorrow.

But Sutton said: "Kevin has been playing ever so well and that was a great goal he scored at Arsenal last week - brilliant.

"As a team we have had a tremendous start, only losing two out of 18 games, but we are still only halfway through the season after the West Ham game.

"And our first half will be a tough act to follow.

"I'm really sick about tomorrow. After all the injury problems of the last couple of seasons I had played in every game.

"It's very disappointing because I'm not the sort of player who goes around topping people for fun.

"I was also looking forward to playing against Ian Pearce. I still speak to him regularly and I know how much he is looking forward to coming back because he had a few good years here." Victory would set up Rovers for Sutton's return against Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day but he has a high regard for the Hammers, despite their poor away record. "I have seen them a few times and they are a good side, with a lot of good players in the squad," he said.

"They are quite a young side and they have been unlucky not to get better results away from home. They will be a difficult team to beat."

The big question for Rovers boss Roy Hodgson is who, if anyone, joins Gallacher in attack.

If he sticks with his favoured 4-4-2 then teenage striker James Beattie will be in the frame.

Or he could even push one of his wide players into a more central role. Irish contacts who know his game well tell me that they envisage Damien Duff eventually moving inside.

But the manager might opt instead for a 4-3-3 formation with two out-and-out wingers and Gallacher down the middle. That might be the best way of playing against three central defenders, as we saw at times last season.

Hodgson's only expected absentees are the suspended Sutton and injured Martin Dahlin.

So he looks set to choose from: Flowers, Kenna, Hendry, Henchoz, Croft, Ripley, Sherwood, McKinlay, Wilcox, Gallacher, Flitcroft, Duff, Beattie, Bohinen, T Pedersen, Valery, Broomes, Fettis.

West Ham manager Harry Redknapp has been able to re-unite his number one strike force with Paul Kitson back from injury to join the dangerous John Hartson.

They have had talks about their away problems and Redknapp believes he is close to getting it right.

Craig Forrest has taken over in goal from injured Ludek Miklosko with Eyal Berkovic and Frank Lampard two key players in midfield.

Their starting line-up is expected to come from: Forrest, Impey, Pearce, Ferdinand, Unsworth, Rowland, Lomas, Lampard, Berkovic, Hartson, Kitson, Breacker, Abou, Alves, Potts, Sealey.

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