Blackburn must get first against Villa, says Allardyce
Carling Cup semi-final second leg: Aston Villa v Blackburn Venue: Villa Park Date: Wednesday, 20 January KO: 1945 GMT Coverage: Watch live on BBC One and BBC Sport website; listen on BBC Radio 5 live and BBC local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles
Allardyce says he would be happy if the game went to penalties
Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce says it is vital his side score first in their Carling Cup semi-final second leg with Aston Villa on Wednesday night.
Villa won the first leg 1-0 and Allardyce says Rovers are "clearly underdogs" for the return match.
"If we let them score first it'll be hugely difficult to come back from a 2-0 deficit," said Allardyce.
"Our away form suggests we're not going to get anything from it but in a cup semi-final strange things can happen."
Allardyce's Blackburn lie 12th in the Premier League table, and were knocked out of the FA Cup by Villa at the third round stage, so he has made it clear that the Carling Cup is his priority.
"Only getting through to the final means anything to us at this moment in time."
And he said the way in which they did it did not matter, as long as they got there.
"I'd be very happy if it went to penalties at Villa Park," he said.
"Getting through in normal or extra time is what we will try to do, but if you said to me 'Will you take penalties now?' I'd have to say 'yes."'
Villa are also keen to get to Wembley, having gone off the boil somewhat in the Premier League, where they have failed to score in the last three games.
And manager Martin O'Neill insisted they would not sit back and rely on having a first-leg advantage, secured by James Milner's first-half goal.
"We have got to approach the game on its own merit and try and win the game from that viewpoint," he said.
"I don't think we could be thinking about having any other approach because it takes only a second to get a goal and, if Blackburn score early on, you are back to level anyway.
"Any advantage can be taken away in seconds. We must have a positive approach, absolutely, and forget the first leg in effect.
Villa dominated the first half of the first leg, before Rovers put up a much better display in the second half, hitting the post twice.
And O'Neill said he expected Blackburn's second-half approach to be on display again at Villa Park.
"I also think Blackburn would have taken great heart from the fact that decisions went their way at Ewood Park," stated O'Neill.
"They could have been in more serious trouble at half-time in that particular match. They came out very strongly in the second half as we expected and yet we had some chances ourselves.
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