MARK Hughes admits he's surprised with how quickly Zurab Khizanishvili has adapted to Premiership football.

The Georgian international arrived at Rovers woefully short of match sharpness having been frozen out of the first team picture at Glasgow Rangers.

But because a combination of injuries and suspensions have meant Ryan Nelsen and Andy Todd have been unable to keep a regular partnership in the centre of defence, Zurab has found himself thrown in at the deep end.

And Hughes couldn't be happier, because it means he has no qualms about throwing him into the fray against Chelsea tomorrow, with Nelsen still suffering from the knee injury he sustained against Birmingham last weekend.

"I've been pleasantly surprised," said Hughes. "His first game was Bolton away, which was a baptism of fire, but he's stood up to each and every challenge that we've set before him and he looks a very accomplished football player.

"Technically, he's very good and he's prepared to compete and show physical prowess also, so, as a centre half, he's got everything at the moment.

"He was brought in initially as cover, not only at centre half but in the full back positions as well.

"But he's been thrust into it and he's seized his chance."

Chelsea will be Zurab's ninth consecutive appearance since making his debut at Bolton Wanderers on September 11.

Rover have lost only two of those games and one of those, at Liverpool, was after Zurab wrongly received a red card which was later rescinded.