THERE is only one person more relieved to see Robbie Savage back in the first team frame again than the midfielder himself - his long-suffering wife Sarah!

By his own admission, the former Welsh international becomes a nightmare to live with' whenever he is forced to spend time on the sidelines.

So after spending the last three weeks driving his missus around the bend whilst he recovered from a minor knee operation, Savage won't be the only one breathing a huge sigh of relief if he gets the chance to make his comeback against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday.

The 33-year-old, who is fighting fit and raring to go again after a full week of training, admitted: "The last few weeks have been absolutely miserable for my wife, Sarah, because when I'm out of the team, I'm a nightmare to live with.

"I just mope around the place feeling sorry for myself.

"I sulk when I get dropped from the team, and I sulk when I get injured.

"It's not a case of me throwing my toys out of the pram. I just live for my football and when I can't go out and play on a Saturday, I find it really hard to deal with and everyone around me suffers because I'm so miserable."

After missing the second half of last season with a broken leg, the last thing Savage needed was another injury set-back like the one he suffered at White Hart Lane a month ago.

An innocuous-looking challenge on Robbie Keane resulted in the Welshman having to undergo a clean-up operation on his knee.

Thankfully, however, the midfielder only missed three games this time, and he's now back in contention for a first-team place again as Rovers prepare for a month which could effectively define their season.

"December is going to be a massive month for us, because we've got something like seven games in 30 days, so it's vital the manager has everyone available to him," said Savage.

"Then once next month is out of the way, we are also set to lose a couple of players to the African Nations Cup, which means it's even important everyone stays fit.

"Having Steven Reid back will be a huge bonus. We've grown quite close over the last few months because we've both spent a lot of time in the treatment room.

"I was gutted to be out for six months with a broken leg so I can only imagine what Reidy must have felt like over the last 15 months.

"But, thankfully, he's close to being ready for the first team again, and when he gets back in the side no-one will begrudge him his place because of what he's been through.

"It may take him a few games to get properly back up to speed again, but there's no doubt in my mind he will get back to the level he was at before, if not better, because he is bigger and stronger now (because of all the upper-body work he has been doing)."

After Sunday's trip to Fulham, Rovers then face Aston Villa, Newcastle and West Ham at Ewood, followed by a North West derby with Wigan at the JJB.

On paper, they all look winnable games, but Savage has been around long enough to know he and his team-mates cannot afford to take anything for granted, even after their promising start.

"We've got some games coming up which we are expected to win but football is not always like that," added the Welshman.

"Sometimes you pick up points when you least expect them, and other times you can drop them when you're not expecting to.

"Right now, we are ahead of the target we set ourselves at this point in the season, and if we keep on hitting the rest of our targets between now and the end of the season, then we'll have a chance of getting in the top four.

"But the real test will come when we lose a few and people have to start digging in.

"It's easier playing in a team that's winning matches regularly. It's when we lose a few, and it's cold and wet, that the real test will come."