Kevin Phillips and Niall Quinn are ready to sweep away injury worries before Saturday's Premiership opener against Arsenal.

The strike pair, who missed last week's trip to Holland, trained yesterday and manager Peter Reid believes they will be fit for the clash with the Gunners.

"Things are looking a lot better than they were last week," he said. "Both have come through a strenuous training session and shown no reaction to their injuries, so it's good news. They will still have work to do for match fitness, but they both went away on international duty and played longer than the rest of the lads at the end of last season, so their general fitness is still good."

Goal ace Phillips, who suffered a knee injury last month on the club's pre-season tour of France, trained for the first time in two weeks yesterday.

He has not started a game since England's Euro 2000 warm-up match against Malta in June.

There was more good news for Reid with defender Darren Williams and midfielders Paul Thirlwell, Kevin Kilbane and Nicky Summerbee all back in full training after knocks.

"We're beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel," said Reid. "I'm not going to say they will all be ready to start the Arsenal game, but having them back in full training means we will have more options. I always knew the lads would work hard to give themselves the best possible chance of being available."

But Reid will be without suspended duo Alex Rae and Don Hutchison, while ex-Gunner Steve Bould is unlikely to be fit despite returning to full training last week.

The central defender, who has not started a game since January, is still short of match fitness and will be forced to watch from the sidelines.

Reid added: "I've not known a summer like it for injuries, but they are part and parcel of football."

l Graeme Le Saux insists Gianluca Vialli needs the support of his players as he continues the transition into the cut-throat world of football management.

The Italian, hugely popular as a player at Chelsea, has found himself on the receiving end of verbal attacks by departing duo Didier Deschamps and Dan Petrescu this summer. His man-management technique was further questioned by Frank Leboeuf but Le Saux, fit again after ten months on the sidelines, reckons the players must back their young boss. Le Saux said: ''It's a difficult transition from being a player at a club to becoming the manager at the same club. It's not without its burdens. You have to go from the dressing room to the manager's room and I imagine that seems like a lonely place.'