Blackburn Rovers' approach to big week as pressure heats up | Lancashire Telegraph

Michael O'Neill believes Blackburn Rovers can handle the pressure of their relegation battle and insists Southampton aren't 'unbeatable'.

It's a gruelling week ahead for Rovers as they travel to the in-form Saints on Tuesday night before hosting champions-elect Coventry City. A point for the Sky Blues will mathematically secure their promotion to the Premier League.

With two tough games and the lead over the bottom three cut to four points, fans are nervous about the difficult week ahead. O'Neill admits that is natural but insists their five-game unbeaten run shows they can get over the line.

"There's a lot of nervousness around the club situation," O'Neill admitted.

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"But I think the highest league position we've had all season is 15th. So it's not like we've dropped into this position.

"We've been in it really for a lot of the season. So I think week after week, you get a little bit of battle-hardened to it as well for the players.

"There are a lot of consequences for the players individually. If the club is to drop a division, those are things that players are well aware of as well. But no one wants that to happen.

"Everyone's focused on getting the additional points that we need. But obviously, we're mindful that there's still a lot of football to be played over the next four games.

"I think more than anything, the character and the work ethic of the team and confidence and belief. We've got ourselves in a decent position.

"We've had a good run of five games unbeaten. There's a lot for us to be positive about and we've just got to continue with that."

Rovers will make changes on the South Coast with this being their second of three games in six days. The focus is on Southampton but with an eye on Friday too.

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"I don't think at this stage of the season with game 43 that we'd be able to go 90 minutes, 90 minutes, 90 minutes with the same start in 11," O'Neill admitted.

"I think it would be unrealistic to ask the players to do that. Especially with this week, you won't have many tougher games in the Championship.

"So we've got to be mindful of Friday's game. But equally, we have to take care of the game that's in front of us and obviously put a team out that we believe can take something. "

Southampton are the Championship's form club. Tonda Eckert's side have been in imperious form and knocked Arsenal out of the FA Cup.

Whilst it will be tough, O'Neill insists recent results across the league shows nobody is immortal.

"They're great form. Obviously, winning a lot of games. Great cup run," he said.

"A very strong squad. A lot of investment in the squad as well. They've got basically two players for every position and I think that's shown in how they've improved in the second half of the season.

"They've been really, really strong since early January on beating, I think, since that period.

"They've come down to the Premier League, which obviously means that they've got a lot of players in their squad that they've signed for the Premier League. They've added to that as well. Those teams obviously have a clear advantage within the Championship.

"But look, it doesn't mean they're unbeatable, it just means that we have to approach the game with a confident mindset ourselves. The one thing the Championship always throws up is results that maybe people don't expect."