Blackburn can do without magic of the FA Cup

England defender Stephen Warnock admits the magic of the FA Cup means little to Blackburn as the club struggles for Premier League survival.

Sam Allardyce’s side host Championship team Coventry at Ewood Park on Saturday with Rovers still stuck in the bottom three.

While there has been a considerable upturn since Allardyce’s arrival in December and their position has improved considerably, Blackburn still face a fight to preserve their top-flight status in the remaining 14 league games.

Utility man Warnock acknowledges that not even winning the FA Cup at Wembley would be a consolation for relegation.

Allardyce is expected to have similar feelings and is likely to select a fringe side to take on Chris Coleman’s team.

And he insists that the league is the only thing he is thinking about ahead of the meeting with the Sky Blues.

Warnock said: “The FA Cup is nothing, it is disrespectful to say that in a way but the Premier League is the most important thing.

“If we win the FA Cup and go down it doesn’t mean a thing. It is a great occasion and a great day but Premier League survival is everything for this club. I think the manager has already said people’s livelihoods are at stake.

“The brunt of it falls on the players. I don’t think the spirit could ever be questioned in the squad.

“Maybe the break will do a few people a bit of good to get away and be around other people but the lads who are still around the training ground will still be enjoying themselves.”

Warnock also feels that the arrival of his controversial former Liverpool team-mate El-Hadji Diouf will be a major boost in that fight to stay up.

Senegal winger Diouf arrived in a two million pounds move from Sunderland last month and Warnock believes he could be the difference for Rovers.

He added: “People always boo players that are good. You will always find that. They can say what they want but people will boo him because he is a good player and they are scared of him.

“That can only be a bonus for us and our fight to stay up. Players and fans from other teams are scared of him because they know exactly what he can do.

“He is a fantastic player. I think he will be a very important player for us.”

Coventry, who won the competition in 1987, will certainly fancy their chances at Ewood Park, having pulled off a shock 4-1 win in the third round there last season.

Coleman is hoping to take advantage of Blackburn’s preoccupation with the league to snatch a place in the quarter-finals.

The Sky Blues have significant injury concerns, with captain Scott Dann and England U21 player Danny Fox both doubtful.

But Coleman still feels Coventry have a good chance of pulling off an upset and that even a draw would be a huge blow for Allardyce.

He said: “We’re missing certain bodies, but we know we can get a result.

“We must make sure our 4,500 fans aren’t disappointed after making the long journey.

“I don’t think Blackburn will want a replay. I’ll take a replay now if that’s how we get through.

“They can’t afford to be relegated and a replay is a bigger headache for Sam than us.”