Santa Cruz lines out for Rovers
Roque Santa Cruz returned to the Blackburn line-up for tonight’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa at Ewood Park after being rested for the weekend draw at Fulham.
The Paraguay international, who has hit four goals in his debut season in the top flight, replaced Tugay while the only other change saw David Dunn return from suspension in place of Morten Gamst Pedersen.
Martin O’Neill unsurprisingly named an unchanged side from the one which eased to victory at Middlesbrough on Saturday as Villa went in search of their fourth straight win.
Blackburn: Friedel, Ooijer, Samba, Nelsen, Warnock, Emerton, Mokoena, Dunn, Bentley, Santa Cruz, McCarthy.
Subs: Brown, Savage, Pedersen, Reid, Roberts.
Aston Villa: Carson, Mellberg, Knight, Laursen, Bouma, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Barry, Young, Carew, Agbonlahor.
Subs: Taylor, Harewood, Davies, Berger, Gardner.
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)
