LARS Bohinen has shaken off a knock picked up on Boxing Day to give Blackburn Rovers boss Ray Harford a timely boost before tomorrow's home game against Spurs.

For Harford is already facing double trouble with the start of suspensions for central defender Colin Hendry and midfield man Tim Sherwood.

The manager revealed that Bohinen hurt his back and he also got caught on the leg in Rovers' latest home win against Manchester City.

But he trained with the rest of the squad yesterday, on an Ewood pitch protected by the undersoil heating, and will be ready to face Spurs.

It's a blow to lose Hendry and Sherwood but Harford still has choices as he aims to continue the job of establishing Rovers as a really big club like Spurs.

"I think it will take two or three more years around the top," he said. "But, while people say we are one-season wonders, they forget that we have been four-season wonders after finishing fourth, second and first."

Chris Sutton has the ability to play in defence alongside Chris Coleman but, even though he has done some training, it remains to be seen whether he is 100 per cent recovered from his ankle injury.

It could be a decision between Nicky Marker and Paul Warhurst to replace Hendry.

In midfield, Billy McKinlay is available but the situation does offer a chance to throw on-loan Swede Niklas Gudmundsson in at the deep end.

Harford also has Matty Holmes and Graham Fenton, so he is not short of numbers despite the mounting list of players ruled out.

Rovers look set to choose from: Flowers, Berg, Coleman, Marker, Warhurst, Sutton, Kenna, Ripley, Batty, Bohinen, Gudmundsson, McKinlay, Shearer, Newell, Holmes, Fenton, Mimms.

Spurs boss Gerry Francis is a great admirer of Rovers' 99-goal striker Alan Shearer who could be given the captain's armband tomorrow in Sherwood's absence.

But he is backing his team to stop him reaching a century in the League at Ewood.

Spurs are the only Premiership side unbeaten away and Francis said: "Nobody has to remind me what a tough job we've got against Blackburn. We're under no illusions.

"But we've handled a few situations this season, like being the first side to win at Middlesbrough, and it must be a bit galling for the doom-merchants who said at the start of the season that we would go down after losing players like Jurgen Klinsmann and Nick Barmby. "Shearer is marvellous. He's a bit too young yet to be called an all-time great.

"But if he keeps up his present ratio of scoring he will become one."

Chris Coleman faces his former Crystal Palace pal Chris Armstrong and said: "We'll have to be on our guard. He's doing very well for them. He's one of the quickest lads in the Premiership, very strong in the air and likes to run onto the ball over the top."

Spurs are without Ruel Fox, David Howells and Jason Dozzell through injury and are expected to choose from: Walker, Austin, Calderwood, Mabbutt, Edinburgh, McMahon, Campbell, Wilson, Rosenthal, Sheringham, Armstrong, Nethercott, Slade, Day.

Rovers fans have only until 3-30pm tomorrow to buy tickets for Monday's game at Leeds. The ticket office is closed on New Year's Day and all telephone bookings must be collected before tomorrow's deadline. Leeds will not issue duplicate tickets and there will NOT be any seats available on the day.

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