BLACKBURN Rovers boss Gary Bowyer is relishing the prospect of facing Premier League opposition in the FA Cup for the third season running.

Rovers’ reward for winning 2-1 at Championship rivals Charlton Athletic on Saturday is a home tie with Swansea City in the fourth round.

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Swansea, who set-up the clash with a 6-2 success at League Two outfit Tranmere Rovers, are currently ninth in the top flight.

Bowyer is full of admiration for the job Garry Monk has done in his first full season in charge of the Swans and believes the match will be a ‘great test’ for his side.

“You always want to get one of the big boys and it is great to be at home and great to be against a Premier League side,” said Bowyer.

“They are a fantastic footballing team and we know what type of game it is going be.

“It will be a great test for our lads to measure themselves against some quality footballers.

“I’ve watched them quite a bit on the TV this year and they are a nice team to watch in terms of the football that they play.

“They’ve got some outstanding players and they’ve got a philosophy that has gone on for a long time.

“Garry Monk has gone in there and done a tremendous job so it is going to be a real test for us but a good one that we are looking forward to.”

Rovers, then managed by Michael Appleton and courtesy of a goal from Colin Kazim-Richards, won 1-0 at Arsenal to reach the quarter-finals of the 2012-13 FA Cup, where they were knocked out by Millwall.

They were then paired with Manchester City in the third round of last season’s competition.

Rovers drew 1-1 with City at Ewood Park before losing the Etihad Stadium replay 5-0 after conceding three second-half goals in the space of six minutes.

“What we’ve got to go and set our stall out to do is to go and test ourselves and have a right good go at it like we did against City at home last year,” said Bowyer, who has tasted defeat at home on just three occasions this season and five in total last year.

“Fortunately this season Ewood has been a very difficult place for the opposition to come and visit so we’ve got to keep that run going and make it as difficult as we can for Swansea.”

Swans first-team coach Alan Curtis said: “It’s going to be a difficult game but it’s winnable.

“It could have been worse but we were looking for a home draw.”

It will be the fourth FA Cup meeting between the teams and the first time they have met since Rovers ran out 4-2 home winners in the Premier League on December 3, 2011 thanks to a four-goal super show from Ayegbeni Yakubu.

The tie will be played over the weekend of January 24-25.

Confirmation of a date, time and ticketing arrangements have yet to be announced.

But it does mean Rovers’ Championship match at Derby County on January 24 will have to be rearranged.

Reports from the East Midlands have suggested the iPro Stadium clash will be moved to Tuesday, January 27.

But a new date has yet to be set.