Rovers sweat as Benni McCarthy reaches the crossroads

If Benni McCarthy is trying to put himself in the shop window for a move away from Blackburn, he's going the right way about it.

McCarthy's agent, Ivan Modia, has claimed three Premier League clubs are interested in the 32-year-old, who could be used by Sam Allardyce to generate cash for wheeling and dealing in the January window.

The South African scored Blackburn's 30th-minute opener - a right-foot finish from six yards after Ryan Nelsen had nodded down a Keith Andrews free-kick - and nearly stole a winner in the final minutes with a spectacular overhead effort.


Only a fine reaction save from Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland salvaged a point for the home side.

Allardyce said it was the best away display he had seen from McCarthy and Michel Salgado admitted it would be a 'big loss' if the striker left.

Salgado said: 'Benni is a top-quality player. He's a key player - everyone needs them in their team.

'We need him to stay. We are a team that has more than we are showing at present and Benni can help us do that.

'He was a Champions League winner (with Porto in 2004) in his time. When you see him play or train, you know you are watching a key player.

'We have to help him play as well as he can, get his confidence back and play regularly for Blackburn. That's what we need.'

As Allardyce admitted, a draw wasn't much use to either side with the Premier League table as tight as it is.

The Blackburn manager said: 'It's come to the stage where we have got to get three points and that three has got to come against Sunderland.'

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez conceded his side's first-half performance was not good enough and sent out a completely different tactical formation after half-time, switching Charles N'Zogbia to the left wing, putting Jordi Gomez on the right and pushing Hugo Rodallega up front.

The change paid off as Jason Scotland fed N'Zogbia and Rodallega powered a header past Paul Robinson.

Martinez said: 'For me, it's a turning point in this season. It's getting all the positive aspects and putting them together and accepting that football is a game of errors, you play with your feet and it's how you react to that.'

But next up for Wigan is a trip to Old Trafford and a meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson, the man Martinez said leads an English 'mafia' of managers.

Martinez denied making the comments, which were attributed to him in a Spanish newspaper, and said he was looking forward to pitting himself against Ferguson.

'We know it's a monumental task, but we'll enjoy it,' he said.

'Obviously the experience they've got and the quality in their squad always makes it a tough challenge, but it's always great to go head to head with probably one of the best managers ever in world football.'