BLACKBURN Rovers boss Owen Coyle believes being able to turn to Marvin Emnes off the bench at Newcastle United last weekend demonstrates the strength his side have in attack.

Emnes helped turn the game in Rovers’ favour with an impressive half hour cameo at St James’ Park, twice going close to scoring with efforts on goal.

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The Swansea loanee had only returned to training days prior to the trip to the North East following a hamstring injury, but handed his side a boost after being passed fit.

Coyle decided to stick with a front two of Danny Graham and Sam Gallagher after the pair impressed in the win over Brentford.

But the Rovers boss admits it wasn’t an easy decision to make given the quality of 28-year-old Emnes.

“We looked a threat,” Coyle said. “I have to say, it wasn’t easy to leave him (Emnes) on the bench to start with.

“He’s an outstanding player who has been fantastic for us since he joined the club.

“He’s back fit now having trained with the group but Gallagher and Graham had been outstanding in the game against Brentford and that’s what we want.

“We want that competition for places.

“Emnes has that real quality. When he gets the ball we know that he can excite us, beat players and get shots away.

“I thought Danny Graham was excellent, Sam took a painful whack so we will have to see how he is, and then we have Anthony Stokes available and ready to come in.

“So when we have that quality of strikers we know we can score goals.”

Southampton loanee Gallagher tops Rovers’ scoring charts with seven so far this season, with Graham next with four.

Emnes netted in three of his first five games after joining on loan until January, though he hasn’t scored since the win at Derby on September 24.

Stokes, a summer arrival from Celtic, also started the season impressively, scoring three times in his opening two Rovers games.

He has scored just once since, in the Checkatrade Trophy draw with Oldham, though injuries have restricted him to just two starts and four substitute appearances in the Championship.

One area Coyle is looking for his side to improve is at the back where they have conceded 27 goals in their 18 Championship games.

They collected just a second clean sheet of the season against the Magpies, something Coyle is hoping they will take confidence from.

The Ewood chief added: “It was very important to get that clean sheet, that’s so important, and it was great to see it through.

“Getting a clean sheet at Newcastle, I think they have only not scored in one other game this season, and the hype surrounding them being about to break a record, we stood up to that test and showed a lot of quality on the ball.”