Sam Allardyce returned to work as Blackburn Rovers manager on Friday for the first time since undergoing heart surgery. The 55-year-old was at Blackburn's training ground on Friday morning, although he is expected to watch the team's Barclays Premier League fixture against Liverpool on Saturday from the stands, with assistant manager Neil McDonald continuing in the dugout.

"He is back, so it's back to normal," McDonald said.

"He will sit upstairs (for the match) as he did before his operation. Whether he comes down before half-time remains to be seen, but we will do exactly what we have done in the past.

"He's very comfortable, he has taken his time coming back and he is ready and raring to go.

"He will be sitting in the stand supporting everybody, as he normally does."