BLACKBURN'S win over Fulham on Saturday brought their first three points from a game since they beat Double winners Arsenal in October writes Richard Mulligan

Before their trip to Highbury they had already beaten Leeds and Newcastle, and looked to be heading for a stab at finishing in the top half of the table and avoiding the relegation fears that haunted their first Premiership season under Graeme Souness last year.

But Souness has seen his side slip out of form over the last month, with defeats against Everton and Charlton and their loss to Celtic in the UEFA Cup 'Battle of Britain'.

In 2000-01 Rovers and Wanderers fought a gripping battle for automatic promotion with both sides eventually moving up to the Premiership, while last time around they were each caught up in a relegation dogfight.

Their growing rivalry was highlighted by the bad-tempered game between the two at the Reebok in March when Andy Cole was sent off for an altercation with Mike Whitlow and Turkish midfielder Tugay was accused of spitting.

Holding his cards close to his chest, Souness does not believe that this trip to the Reebok is bigger than any other Blackburn game, but it is unquestionably an important game for both sides in the lead up to the Festive season.

"All of our games are worth three points and mean everything to us," he says. "When it comes down to it, this is another game for Blackburn and Bolton that both teams would like to win.

"They have enjoyed a few decent results in the last month and will want to continue, we want to turn things around.

"The circumstances of the game last season were very different and many things happened and things were said that everyone has to move on from.

"I think that ourselves and Bolton are very similar, both clubs have gone two steps forward and one step back since we came up. There are parallels in our progression and they seem to be making the most of their international stars at the moment.

"This Christmas period can make or break seasons. Last year we found ourselves under some real pressure because of Christmas and we don't want that again, especially because some people do not perform to their best under those conditions.

"At the moment we are not in dire straits but if we keep losing games, we will find ourselves in the wrong half of the table and playing under pressure again."

While good results are not forthcoming, performance is not something that is particularly concerning Souness at present.

Anyone who saw Blackburn tear Celtic to pieces in Glasgow last month will know that they are capable of slick, passing football with a brilliant young midfield of David Dunn, David Thompson and Damien Duff, backed up by the steel of Garry Flitcroft and Tugay.

But that Celtic game also showed Blackburn's potential to commit suicide in defence, as a mix up allowed Henrik Larsson to pounce.

Souness suggests that concentration will be the key if they are to keep out Henrik Pedersen and Youri Djorkaeff.

He says: "There are no major problems here, if I thought that there were serious problems with our play then I would be making wholesale changes to the team and looking at tactics.

"We can't deny that our results have been poor but I feel that our football has been good enough to get points out of games."

"The reason we have not is that individuals and the team as a whole have gone to sleep at vital times. We are conceding daft goals and they are avoidable."

To concede goals from set-pieces in the manner we have done is not good enough.

"It is something we have spoken about and something that the players have to sort out themselves because there is not a great deal that you can do on the training ground to recreate the vital moments."

Blackburn's attack at present will not cause Wanderers too many sleepness nights either, particularly with Matt Jansen recovering slowly from his motorbike crash and a deal for Hakan Sukur not yet confirmed.

Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole are a £10 million strike force but have so far scored just seven goals between them this season, which is a big concern for the manager.

Souness says: "All strikers are judged in black and white, in terms of games played and goals scored. We have experienced strikers who know that they live and die by goals, and they are not getting enough goals but I am confident that they will do in the course of the season."

Souness was a fiery midfielder in his time and expects the same commitment from his charges.

While Rovers have had a tough time of it recently, no team knows better than Bolton that they face a highly motivated and talented opposition on Saturday.