Blackburn Rovers out to sink a buoyed Newcastle United

Blackburn and Newcastle sit level on points in mid-table and will be looking for points to ensure they head up rather than down over the rest of the season.

Most Newcastle fans expected the worst when their side was 4-0 down with half an hour played against Arsenal, but what followed will go down in folklore on Tyneside.

Goals from Leon Best and two from Joey Barton were followed by a late thunderbolt volley from Chiek Tiote to bring the home side back for an unbelievable 4-4 draw and draw the St James Park to their feet in admiration.

That draw felt like a win for the Magpies fans after starting the game so terribly, but the statistics show that Newcastle have now not won in four games and are having to look over their shoulders and worry about slipping down close to the relegation places.

Newcastle are 13/5 to win the game, with Blackburn priced at 6/5 and a draw at 12/5.

Alan Pardew has moved to bolster his striking options by signing Finnish international striker Shefki Kuqi after the 34-year-old had his contract with Championship side Swansea cancelled.

Kuqi (10/1 to be first goalscorer) has previously played for Blackburn in the Premier League back in 2003-04, where he scored seven goals in 34 games, and he should offer Newcastle a new option up front – but some fans will still worry the likes of Kuqi, Nile Ranger, Leon Best and Peter Lovenkrands have all yet to really prove themselves in the Premier League.

Ranger and Best are set to keep the two striking shirts for the trip to Blackburn after impressing in the miraculous comeback against Arsenal, as Newcastle fans continue to adjust to life post-Andy Carroll, with Kuqi set to settle for a place on the bench for the clash at Ewood Park.

Hatem Ben Arfa, Dan Gosling, Steven Taylor, Alan Smith and Ryan Taylor are all still out injured for Newcastle and Seven Ireland has not yet recovered fitness after arriving on loan in January.

Blackburn boss Steve Kean has seen side lose to Wigan, Spurs and Aston Villa in their last three consecutive games – and it was a similar run that saw Sam Allardyce sacked back in December.

The home side have alternated between scoring and failing to score in their last eight games, and if this run continues they would not find the back of the net in this game after scoring three against Wigan.

Jason Roberts is 13/2 to score the first goal and boasts an excellent recent record against Newcastle, with four goals in six games, while Blackburn themselves have won the last six straight games against Saturday's opponents in the league.

The hosts have doubts over Roque Santa Cruz, while Mauro Formica is struggling with injury and defenders Gael Givet and Phil Jones remain on the sidelines.