BLACKBURN Rovers midfielder David Thompson is back in business after returning to Premiership action following a six-month injury nightmare.

The 28-year-old, who has been sidelined since May by knee and ankle injuries respectively, made his comeback appearance as a second half substitute during Saturday's 0-0 draw with Manchester City.

And now the former Liverpool star has set his sights on forcing his way into Mark Hughes' starting XI over the next few weeks as he tries to make up for lost time.

"I was buzzing," said Thompson, who played the final 17 minutes against City at the weekend.

"It was a tough game to come into because it was stretched by that point and there were a few tired legs out there, but I was really pleased to come back.

"I've worked hard for this and hopefully this will be a fresh start for me.

"I just want to get back into the team now, get some sharpness back, and get around the boys again because I've missed all that."

Thompson has had to wait patiently for his chance after undergoing a painstaking rehabilitation process as part of his recovery from knee and ankle operations in the summer.

He returned to action a month ago in the reserves but manager Mark Hughes has deliberately held him back from making the step up into the first team because he wanted to make sure he was fully match fit first.

Now, Thompson hopes that cautious approach could end up paying dividends as he attempts to get his career back on track after three injured-plagued years.

The one-time England hopeful has been dogged by persistent knee problems, but he now feels fitter than he has done for some time.

He looked sharp during his brief cameo at the City of Manchester Stadium and he played a part in helping Rovers secure what could turn out to be a useful away point.

"I wanted to get on and try and create something, but it was one of those situations where you couldn't start trying stupid things because it was backs to the wall towards the end," said Thompson.

"We'd got a little bit deep by that point but we were away from home so it was probably better to consolidate rather than me trying to be jinky Jimmy Johnson.

"But the main thing is I felt sharp and I was able to contribute."

As for the overall team performance, Thompson felt Rovers should be happy with a point given that seven members of the squad had been away on international duty in the build up to the game.

He added: "I thought we did alright. We had a load of possession but there was no penetration.

"At the end of the day, we've got to be happy because we were away from home and if you're not creating a lot then you've got to be content with a point."