English League Cup Semi-final / Manchester United (1) v Blackburn (1): Blackburn's League Cup hopes are on the line tonight as Mark Hughes faces a potential striker crisis.
With the tie poised at 1-1, Hughes goes into the second leg of the semi-final against former club Manchester United at Old Trafford without the services of Paul Dickov.
The seven-goal forward faces up to six weeks on the sidelines after dislocating his left shoulder in Saturday's 1-0 win at Newcastle.
Although Craig Bellamy missed out on a return to the northeast due to him serving a one-match suspension, a hamstring problem makes him a doubt to face United now he is eligible to play again.
It is a prospective double whammy which could land a knockout blow to Hughes' bid of reaching the final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium next month.
United are not without their problems. With the confirmation that Paul Scholes will miss the rest of the season over a "medical condition" in his right eye, Alan Smith is doubtful while Park Ji-sung is also injured and Cristiano Ronaldo is suspended.
It is also sod's law for Hughes that with Dickov out and nine-goal Bellamy struggling, he recently allowed Matt Jansen to leave after complaining about his lack of opportunities.
With another option in Paul Gallagher on loan at Stoke, and with Hughes reluctant to recall him as yet, midfielder David Bentley will partner Shefki Kuqi in attack if Bellamy misses out.
"We have to be mindful of Craig's problem," confirmed Hughes. "It's not something that has cleared up as yet, so we have to be careful, and we will be.
"But given the type of player he is - dynamic, explosive - that will always put a strain on his hamstrings, so we will have to play it by ear and see which way we go with it.
"We just have to try to make sure we get him back as soon as we can."
At least for Hughes the prognosis on Dickov is not as bad as first feared.
"He saw a specialist yesterday and he has come back with a better report than we initially thought," added Hughes.
"At one point we thought he could be out for 10 to 12 weeks, but it's now more likely to be four to six - and knowing Paul as we do he will be back in three! But he has dislocated it, and there's a little crack as well. It's a painful injury and it will need to settle down."
Yet with the transfer window due to close next Tuesday, Hughes is feeling under no pressure to immediately strengthen his forward line. "We are still looking," stated Hughes, who suggested he is willing to wait until the close season to spend. "We've only had guys going out these past few weeks, but if nothing happens this window then it puts us in good shape for the summer."
With Blackburn needing to score, as they could get knocked out on the away-goals rule if the game finished scoreless after extra-time, Hughes knows the onus is on his side to force the issue.
Defensively, Blackburn have been superb as they have conceded just two goals in an unbeaten eight-game run which has included four away wins, while they also beat United 2-1 at Old Trafford earlier in the season.
"United probably have their noses in front with the away goal," said Hughes, who also has captain Andy Todd available after he missed the Newcastle game through illness.
MANCHESTER UNITED (from): Van der Sar, Howard, Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, Silvestre, Vidic, Pique, Evra, Fletcher, Giggs, Richardson, Van Nistelrooy, Rooney, Saha, Rossi.
BLACKBURN: (from): Friedel, Neill, Khizanishvili, Nelsen, Matteo, Bentley, Tugay, Savage, Pedersen, Kuqi, Enckelman, Emerton, Bellamy, Gray, Peter, Todd, Reid.
Manchester Utd (1) v Blackburn (1) Old Trafford, kick-off tonight, 8.00
On TV: Sky Sports 1
