Steve Kean added Paul Robinson to his massive injury list, bringing Mark Bunn into the starting line up. And the keeper was one of the big stars of the boxing day fixture.
On the back of the home defeats, few gave Rovers much of a chance at Anfield. And despite claiming 50% of the possession, Blackburn could only must two shots on target in the 90 minutes. But defensively they were much improved and they went in at the break 1-0 up thanks to a well placed coroner from Morten Gamst Pedersen which was put in the back of his own net by Charlie Adam . It was a doggid rovers performance, and the manager just have asked for more of the same at the break. But it only took seven minutes for Maxi to head home and claim the equaliser. David Dunn Should have made it 2-1, but Yakubu was on his shoulder, and he put his final shot wide. The final stages were all about defense and with just seconds to play Mark Bunn pulled off a superb save before Adam Henley cleared Liverpool's final shot off the line. Rovers were value for the point, and it was some relief with Old Trafford next in the quest for more rare points. Steve Kean told reporters he was proud of his young squad - five under 22 - and hoped that the traveling fans had gone home with some hope and happiness with the result. "We had a very, very young back-line, but they showed they can dig in and grind out a result at one of the most intimidating venues in the country. Mark Bunn was tremendous, as was young Adam Henley and the way Chris Samba organised the young lads was great to see" .That final game of 2011 is on New Years Eve against Man Utd who put 5 past 10 man Wigan, while Bolton lost 2-0 at home to Newcastle. The transfer window opens in a few days - and the fight then begins to keep some start Blackburn players and bring in more to try and defend their Premier League status. (26th December 2011)

The biggest crowd of the season at Ewood came in hope of a vital win over near rivals Bolton. The Blackburn boss, Steve Kean, had billed it as a 'must win', but was hampered from the start by injuries, particularly in defense. The worst of possible starts saw Mark Davies give the visitors an early lead with seconds past four minutes on the clock. Instantly the boos and calls for a change of manager rang around the stadium. Things got worse when Nigel Reo-Cocker made it two on the half hour. Despite signs of more commitment than against West Brom, there was still a dearth of drive. Whatever the manager said in the break certainly spurred things on, and Yakubu added his 11th of the season in the 66th minute and a great fight back looked possible. Junior Hoilett and Chris Samba could have claimed an equliser and winner, and Rovers looked to have been denied a penalty. With a the final whistle came more chants of 'Kean Out' and hundreds of fans decided to demonstrate their frustration inside and outside the ground. It wasn't a pleasant scene, and the chants became personal and aggressive. But the result saw Rovers fall to the foot of the table, and relegation the most likely outcome of the season. From the group of winnable games - only one win and one draw was possible. Steve Kean told reporters he was determined to battle on and believes that when he gets his players back to health, the picture will change. Liverpool and Manchester United away aren't likely to offer much respite. Blackburn are back at Ewood on January 2nd for a New Year bank holiday fixture against Stoke City. (20th December 2011)

It was billed as a 'must win' match - with Tuesdays' derby against Bolton part of a 6 point double . But now it's just bottom team Bolton and West Brom collected all three from their Ewood visit. Rovers never seemed to get going - and there was little sign of any grit or determination to nail this one. The stats may show plenty of shots on target, but in reality it was the baggies who pushed forward and were rewarded when James Morrison beat Paul Robinson with a great strike in the 52nd minute. Another clean sheet gone, and now a fight to get at least a draw. The goal did seem to get things going, and twenty minutes later Scott Dann scored his first league goal for Rovers with a tap in to make it 1-1. David Goodwillie and Jason Roberts were added to the attack, as they looked for a winner. But it was Peter Odemwingie who stole the points for the visitors with 90 seconds of normal time left - another late show disaster. Former Rovers boss Roy Hodgson delighted with the outcome - his last visit to Ewood was with Liverpool for a memorable defeat for his side, and a first home win for Steve Kean. The under pressure Manager told RADIO ROVERS:- "We're really disappointed with the second goal, because I think we got ourselves back in the game. When you analyse the second goal, to let Odemwingie check back in onto his left foot, even though it's a wonder finish, it's poor that we let it get to that position. We should have shown him down the line onto his right foot and made him cross it. So it's a really poor goal that has cost us in the end." He also confirmed that Gael Givet will have a procedure on Thursday to try and correct his racing heart condition. Now the MUST MUST win game is Bolton - and nothing less than a win will do for a set of frustrated fans who boos the team off at full time, having agreed not to protest during the game. (17th December 2011)

A penalty not given, a goal disallowed , four injuries and just ten men at the end of a very disappointing strip to the Stadium of Light. Perhaps it was obvious from the moment that Sunderland sacked Steve Bruce that this game would take on new significance. The appointment of Martin O'Neill gave the Black Cats new hope - and yet it was Blackburn who looked the most likely to defend well and should have been two up by the break. Simon Vukcevic claimed his first Blackburn goal with a header just 16 minutes in ... Rovers had already been refused a penalty, and then with only minutes of the first half to play a Pedersen free kick was nodded home by Scott Dann. Replays showed it should have stood but the ref didn't give it. Paul Robinson continued to make some great saves after the break, with Sunderland claiming much of the possession and most shots on goal. Perhaps it was just a matter of time before the home side got their equaliser - it came from another set piece for David Vaughan in the 84th minute. From a potential essential three points - now it looked like only the one. With three minutes of extra time signaled, Sunderland threw everything at the Blackburn defense. Sebastian Larsson gave Martin O'Neill his first win, and ruined Rovers day with a free kick that nicked in at the near post. All this against a backdrop of a first half injury to Michel Selgado - later subbed with Grant Hanley coming on. Then Givet was replaced by Martin Olsson, who himself was later subbed. And to make sure it was a horrid day when Jason Lowe had to be stretched off as 100 minutes passed on the scoreboard. Perhaps Blackburn should have pushed forward more in the quest for another goal, but they majored on defense and then paid the final price by not having that safety blanket when Sunderland finally breached them with no time left to do more. Injuries, The ref making some serious errors - not excuses - but the sad tail of what had looked like a great away win 'till the final few minutes. Now it's two MUST WIN ties at Ewood before two more away at Liverpool and Old Trafford to end a miserable 2011. (11th December 2011)

LINKS: bbc.co.uk (full report) ALSO goals1112 AND t&t1112

The draw has been made for the 3rd round of this season's FA Cup and Blackburn Rovers will be away to the team that they knocked out of the Carling Cup - high flying Newcastle United! Manchester City drew Manchester United and should Fleetwood Town make it through their replay - a Lancashire derby will see them at home to Blackpool.

The Full Draw is .... Middlesbrough v Shrewsbury - Nottingham Forest v Leicester City - Manchester City v Manchester United - Dagenham & Redbridge/Walsall v Millwall - Crawley v Bristol City
Doncaster v Sutton Utd/Notts County - Bristol Rovers v Aston Villa - Tottenham v Cheltenham Town - Sheffield Wednesday v West Ham - Milton Keynes Dons v QPR
Hull City v Ipswich Town - Coventry v Southampton - Brighton v Wrexham - Fulham v Charlton Athletic - Birmingham v Wolves - Norwich v Burnley - Arsenal v Leeds United
Derby v Crystal Palace - Fleetwood/Yeovil v Blackpool - Swindon v Wigan - Barnsley v Swansea - Chelmsford/Macclesfield v Bolton - Newcastle v Blackburn
Everton v Tamworth - Sheffield United v Salisbury City/Grimsby - Liverpool v Southend/Oldham - Gillingham v Stoke - Chelsea v Portsmouth - Watford v Bradford
Peterborough v Sunderland - West Brom v Cardiff - Reading v Stevenage

The games are penciled in for Saturday 7th January 2012 (TV to be announced later) (4th December 2011)

LINKS: thefa.com ALSO bbc.co.uk (full details) PLUS facup1112

Yakubu, Yakubu, Yakubu and Yakubu!

Steve Kean set out this game as the first of a group of 'must win' matches. It was also the first of a treble ticket offer - three games for just £20. The extra fans that brought in were well rewarded! It's rare to see a hat-trick , let alone four goals in one game from one player - but that was exactly what Yakubu delivered. Swansea pass the ball around well, and had a lot of the possession. Indeed the stats show that they managed 55% - but they hadn't counted on The Yak! He fired home his first in the 20th minute, and doubled his tally two minutes into first half injury time. In between Leroy Lita headed home to pull the visitors back to 1-1, but it was 2-1 at the break. Ten minutes after the restart Yakubu headed in his third and guaranteed his first Rovers' match ball. Not daunted, Swansea's Luke Moore beat Paul Robinson to make it 3-2, and Ewood feared the worst! But the Welsh side suffered another blow when Joe Allen collected his second yellow - and an early bath with ten minutes left to play. More than enough time for Rovers' top scorer to make it four when Neil Taylor brought down sub Simon Vukcevic , and The Yak calmly put away the spot kick. The result didn't silence the protesters, with about 200 staying behind after the win to call again for a change of management. But a delighted Kean asked all the fans to show their support: "I would like the majority of supporters to be vocal and say to the protesters, give the lads a chance" he told reporters. "We've got a lot of young players in the team and it can certainly affect them if there's a little bit of negativity aimed when you're ahead and when you're playing well, so I hope they can bear that in mind .... I'm very happy. My dressing room is bouncing. I might invite a few of [the protesters] into the dressing room and see that in there it doesn't effect us at all."
WIgan and Bolton lost their games,and so Rovers moved up above them both to 18th, and just a win away from pulling out of the relegation zone. That might not be that easy, with Sunderland next up, under new management, next weekend. They announce that Martin O'Neill is taking over from Steve Bruce who got the sack on Thursday.
Yakubu has now scored far more goals than any player did in the whole of last season. And despite the fact that Blackburn stood 8th at the start of December 2010 (Big Sam't last home game in charge) - they had scored 21 league goals, EXACTLY the same as they've managed this term. Perhaps the tide is turning? It could be a great Christmas present for all Rovers fans. (3rd December 2011)