Kean plans to attack Villa

Manager Steve Kean says Blackburn Rovers will go on all-out attack at Aston Villa on Saturday.

Blackburn have not won a Premier League game for a month but Kean says Rovers are nearly safe from relegation.

“We are trying to play positively away from home,” Kean said.

“We look at the teams below us and we take comfort from the fact that there are some big clubs below us.

“We want to get to that 40-point mark as quickly as we can and then hopefully use that as a platform to kick on.”

“All the teams down there are playing each other soon, so it will be interesting, but we just want to concentrate on ourselves.”

“We have been mid-table all season and we hope to keep that going, and hopefully beat the 50 points from last season.”

Blackburn are back from a winter training break in Dubai.

“We have a strong mental attitude in our dressing room,” Kean said.

“When we were away we talked a lot about not looking down the table, but up it; about collecting our own points and not worrying about what others are doing.”

The teams have already met three times this season- Blackburn winning 2-0 at home in the league but being dumped out of the Carling Cup and the FA Cup by Villa.

Blackburn know their strengths and weaknesses against Villa and Kean is confident his team can be successful.

“We have met Villa so often in the cups recently and our form has never been great,” he said.

“But in the league we have won the last three meets so we are focusing on that.”

“With the exception of the Newcastle game we have been playing well without getting the points we deserve.

“They have got a very quick, mobile forward line with great players like Darren Bent, Stuart Downing, Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor.”

“We have had a look at that throughout the week and we are confident we can go there and get something.”

“Against Villa if you lose the ball they are dangerous. Within two passes they can be in on your goal, fantastic counter-attack, we need to cover that.”

Captain Christopher Samba is hoping to beat a virus to play and Gael Givet has recovered from a groin problem.

Mauro Formica (fitness), Ruben Rochina (fitness), David Hoilett (hamstring) and Phil Jones (knee) are all unavailable.

Centre back Ryan Nelson is playing at his own request despite his hometown of Christchurch in New Zealand being hit by an earthquake this week.