Arsenal winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is a doubt due to a knee injury.
Saturday's game is likely to come too soon for Kieran Gibbs, while Carl Jenkinson, Andre Santos, Abou Diaby and Jack Wilshere remain sidelined.
Blackburn forward David Goodwillie should recover from illness but Yakubu completes a three-match ban.
Transfer-listed Christopher Samba will not be recalled, while Bradley Orr is in contention for his debut following a deadline-day move from QPR.
MATCH PREVIEW
This is a meeting of two clubs who, for very different reasons, have to find some consistency quickly.
Not since Arsene Wenger took over in 1996 have Arsenal been this low in the table at such an advanced stage of the season. Wenger has always maintained that Champions League qualification is the minimum requirement, but they currently trail fourth-placed Chelsea by five points after a run of three defeats and a draw since the turn of the year.
When you consider that Arsenal's next four league games after Saturday are against a rejuvenated Sunderland on Wearside, Tottenham at home, Liverpool at Anfield and Newcastle back at the Emirates, they simply can't afford to slip up against Blackburn.
This game is equally crucial for Rovers. They are back in the relegation zone and there is a gap opening up between the bottom five and the rest. Manager Steve Kean appeased the fans a little bit over the new year with victory at Manchester United and draws at Liverpool and Everton, but the supporters were walking out in droves after Newcastle went 2-0 up at Ewood Park in midweek.
Blackburn had 20-odd goal attempts in that game and I certainly think they would have scored if Yakubu, or indeed David Goodwillie, had been available. New signing Anthony Modeste looked lively but lacked composure in front of goal. Nonetheless, Blackburn have goals in them - as they proved by beating Arsenal 4-3 in the reverse fixture - and they have scored more than any other team outside the top five apart from the Gunners.
The
