AT one stage it was the FA Cup tie neither manager wanted.

Who cared about the result? Just as long as it wasn't a draw ..!

Then it became the tie from hell with the winners facing the daunting prospect of a quarter-final clash with Arsenal.

Since Sam Allardyce had fielded a weakened team in the original game, what sort of side would he send out at Ewood?

But now there's revenge in the air and, the way Wanderers are talking, there'll be no half measures.

Rovers' Reebok romp has put a completely different complexion on Wednesday night's replay.

"After what happened last week, Blackburn are going to try and wallop us again," Allardyce explained, "and we want some revenge!

"With it being such a short time ago it's still very much in our minds. And it makes no difference whether it's the cup of the league.

"We don't want the fans waking up again and going to work to have the mickey taken out of them by the Blackburn fans like they did last week.

"It gets a bit too much to take.

"The players will go out and try and win the game - make no mistake about that!"

So he won't be playing Emanuele Morini and Paul Wheatcroft up front then?

"Not unless we get a load more injuries," Allardyce says with a wry smile.

The manager retains the utmost confidence in his squad but accepts that, in terms of numbers and quality, Souness currently has the edge.

"I think it's fair to say that, at this moment in time, Graeme is not saddled with any long-term injuries.

"He's had people like Short out for some time but he's back now and McAteer and Blake are on their way back.

"Even when Blakey was out, Graeme had the money to go out and replace him very quickly with Marcus Bent. He's also managed to ressurrect Gillespie's career. He's come back fighting after having been loaned out at Wigan.

"It's not before time that they are living up to their potential at just the right time."