MICK Rathbone has backed Yakubu to return to being a Premier League hit after describing the Blackburn Rovers striker as “in the shape of his life”.

Some have questioned the Nigerian’s August arrival at Ewood Park due to his past injury torment but the man who knows his past fitness woes the best, insists ‘the Yak’ still has plenty more to come.

Former Everton physio Rathbone nursed Yakubu back to fitness from a serious Achilles injury during their days together at Goodison Park, describing it as one of the worst he had seen.

But, ahead of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Loftus Road, Rathbone is confident the dark days are now behind the 28-year-old and has tipped him to shine again in East Lancashire.

Rathbone, who played more than 300 appearances for Rovers between 1979 and 1987, said: “I think he is in the shape of his life. He’s a big strong unit but he’s in great shape at the moment. Don’t expect him to run 30km in a game, but get the ball in to him around the box and he will score goals.

“Do you come back 100 per cent after an injury like that? That’s debatable. But you can come back, look at David Beckham and countless other examples.

“It’s credit to him, you have to put a lot of work in and he did that. It is one of the worst injuries you can get, I think it’s worse than a cruciate ligament.

“I think he’s looking okay at the moment. I saw him play against Newcastle and Arsenal. He just needs a run of 10 games and he will score goals in the Premier League, I’ve no doubt about that.”

Yakubu has scored on a consistent basis during spells at Portsmouth, Middlesbrough and Everton, before rupturing his Achilles tendon in the Toffees’ 1-0 win at Tottenham in November 2008.

His Premier League appearances have been limited since, and he even spent the end of last season on loan at Championship Leicester, but Rathbone believes his mental strength has got him through his nightmare.

Rathbone said: “He’s a real professional, which might surprise some people. He did very well for us and then was out for nine months with his injury.

“When the injury happened we didn’t know what it was.

"He just said he’d had a kick on the back of his leg in a challenge but when he came in at half time we had a look at it and we realised it was his Achilles.

“I had to break the news to him that he would be out for a long time. I went to watch the operation. It was a really bad one as far as Achilles injuries go because it was towards the end of the tendon.

“We worked together for nine months and became very close. We did a lot of running, well I did a lot of running and he stood and watched! No seriously he works really hard and he’s a true professional.

“When he came back from injury he came over and celebrated his first goal with us and that was one of my most special moments in football, it was a really nice moment. It was for all the medical staff, not just me, but it was a really nice touch.

“He’s too strong to let people questioning his fitness bother him.”