Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Championship clash between Blackburn Rovers and Swansea City, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Blackburn Rovers play host to Swansea City on Saturday afternoon looking to end a run of two successive defeats.
At a time when Rovers sit in eighth position in the Championship standings, the visitors to Ewood Park are down in 11th spot.
Match preview
© Imago
On the back of a seven-match unbeaten streak and three clean sheets in a row, John Eustace would have anticipated that Blackburn would end their schedule before the October international break on a high note.
However, Rovers surprisingly lost their way, initially suffering a 3-0 defeat away at a struggling Coventry City outfit.
That was followed by a last-gasp 2-1 defeat at the hands of Plymouth Arygle, Blackburn having now failed to win any of their opening five away games in the second tier this season.
As for their home form, though, Eustace’s side have a perfect record, posting four successive victories and scoring 11 goals in the process.
Derby County, Oxford United, Bristol City and Queens Park Rangers have all been defeated, Blackburn scoring at least twice on every occasion.
While Blackburn may be free-scoring in front of their own supporters, they now face opposition with the joint-third best defensive record in the division.
Swansea have conceded just six times in their nine league games, incredibly not conceding more than once in a single fixture.
Luke Williams will feel frustrated that only 12 points have been recorded in nine outings, yet the foundations have been laid for a playoff push if they can improve in the final third.
The Welsh outfit are without a win in three games and have failed to score in the last two, albeit one of those encounters ending in a 1-0 defeat away at unbeaten Sheffield United.
Blackburn Rovers Championship form:
Swansea City Championship form:
Team News
© Imago
Callum Brittain and Owen Beck are both options to return to the Blackburn XI after injury and suspension respectively.
Hayden Carter and Harry Pickering may drop out of the side, while the versatile Joe Rankin-Costello could feature in midfield.
Todd Cantwell and Yuki Ohashi will also be considered for recalls with Eustace likely to shuffle his pack for this contest.
As for Swansea, Liam Cullen is in line to return to the Swansea attack, taking the place of Zan Vipotnik.
The rest of the side could stay the same, Joe Allen staying among the replacements after his time away with Wales.
Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:
Pears; Brittain, Batth, Hyam, Beck; Tronstad, Travis; Weimann, Cantwell, Hedges; Ohashi
Swansea City possible starting lineup:
Vigouroux; Key, Cabango, Darling, Tymon; Franco, Grimes; Ronald, Cooper, Eom; Cullen
We say: Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Swansea City
With the international break having arrived at the right time for Blackburn, there is every chance that they could get back on track here. However, Swansea are one of the more impressive defensive outfits in the division, leading us to predict a hard-earned point for Williams’ side.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.