CHRIS Samba has admitted he has to be more consistent if he wants to be regarded as one of the top defenders in the Premier League.

The towering centre-back was one of Blackburn's best performers during Saturday's thrilling 1-1 draw with Manchester United, making a number of timely interceptions to frustrate Wayne Rooney and company.

However, the 24-year-old remains his own fiercest critic, and he concedes he has not been entirely happy with his general form during his second season in English football.

"It's not so much a case of me being disappointed with my own form, it's more that I know what I can do and I've shown that time and time, but I want to do it on a more consistent basis," said the Congo international.

"I don't want to put in two good performances and then one bad; I want to be more consistent because I want to be one of the top defenders, so you have to have high expectations for yourself."

After bursting onto the scene midway through last season, following his cut-price move from Hertha Berlin, Samba has since become one of the mainstays of Rovers' defence, making 38 appearances this term alongside a variety of partners.

By his own admission, Samba has suffered from the occasional loss of form, most notably just prior to Christmas, when both he and Ryan Nelsen struggled.

However, the pair were back to somewhere approaching top note against United, until Carlos Tevez finally cracked their brave resistance with his late equaliser.

"I thought they (United) were really desperate in the second half," said Samba.

"We were well organised at the back and Brad was in superb form.

"But small things can lead to goals so we have to be really concentrated for the full 90 minutes, because if you switch off once that can happen against the top teams.

"I don't know if it was a lapse in concentration or not.

"It had been a really tough game and we had to do a lot of defending in the second half, so to then concede that advantage was really disappointing."

Despite that late set-back, and other results elsewhere going against Rovers, Samba and his team-mates have still not given up all hope of pinching the Intertoto place ahead of Aston Villa and Manchester City.

He said: "I think it will go to the last whistle.

"We'll play our last three games as if they were cup finals and we will see what happens.

"There are still three games to go and nine points to play for, so we will give it everything and see if we can achieve something."