RAY Harford was set to stage a Boxing Day sick parade before deciding on his Blackburn Rovers line-up to face Manchester City at Ewood tonight.

At least one change from Saturday's squad will be enforced, as Kevin Gallacher begins a three-match ban, following a red card in the reserves.

And the Rovers boss will also be hoping that Stuart Ripley, his first-choice wide man, will have shaken off a bout of the flu in time to play in the derby on Sky TV (kick-off 8pm).

There is also a chance that Mike Newell and Chris Sutton could come under starter's orders, depending on their recovery rate from heel and ankle injuries respectively.

Ripley, however, could be the key.

Having battled back from the ankle injury he suffered against former club Middlesbrough, the winger travelled to London with the squad at the weekend, only to go down with flu.

The long-term injuries to Graeme Le Saux and Jason Wilcox have clipped Rovers' wings down the left-hand side. And, while Harford was able to make do and mend -- reasonably successfully against Wimbledon on Saturday -- he would no doubt prefer Ripley's wing talents available for a home game.

Especially after the way the winger has returned to top form in recent weeks.

Billy McKinlay filled in admirably on the left flank on Saturday and Rovers also have Swedish loan star Niklas Gudmundsson and Matty Holmes available.

They would not be too concerned either if Graham Fenton was asked to continue as Alan Shearer's strike partner in attack. For the former Aston Villa man enjoyed an excellent full debut before making way for Gallacher in the second half of Saturday's draw.

But, with such a hectic festive schedule and more suspensions to come, the more men Harford has at his disposal the better.

And he has not given up hope of Newell and/or Sutton rejoining the squad for tonight's game when Rovers attempt to continue their outstanding home form.

With Tottenham Hotspur due to visit Ewood on Saturday, two more home wins could really give Rovers lift-off as they try to bridge the gap between themselves and the pack of clubs chasing runaway leaders Newcastle United.

No-one is suggesting they can challenge for the title. But they could yet lift themselves into a position where they might contend a European place, just so long as they do not lose any more key personnel like Le Saux.

Rovers look set to choose their starting line-up from: Flowers, Berg, Hendry, Coleman, Kenna, Batty, Sherwood, McKinlay, Bohinen, Shearer, Fenton, Warhurst, Newell, Sutton, Gudmundsson, Holmes.

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