Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Championship clash between Cardiff City and Blackburn Rovers, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Cardiff City play host to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday afternoon looking to bounce back from seeing their prolonged unbeaten run come to an end in midweek.
At a time when the Bluebirds sit in 21st position in the Championship table, the visitors have dropped down to 10th spot after three successive defeats.
Match preview
© Imago
There was an air of confidence about Cardiff when they made the trip to Kenilworth Road to face Luton Town earlier this week, bidding to defend a six-match undefeated run.
However, despite the renaissance under caretaker head coach Omer Riza, Cardiff were looking for their first away win since overcoming Birmingham City on April 10.
As a result, it should perhaps come as no surprise that Luton were able to prevail by a 1-0 scoreline, a second-half goal from Jacob Brown proving to be the difference.
Cardiff have now scored just three goals during their seven away games in the second tier, ensuring that Riza and his players will welcome a return to familiar territory.
At the Cardiff City Stadium, they have recorded four successive victories, netting 10 times and conceding just the once which came in the comeback triumph over Norwich City last weekend.
Meanwhile, the wheels have come completely off Blackburn’s promotion charge having now lost five of their most recent seven fixtures.
John Eustace had previously been able to take confidence from Rovers’ form at Ewood Park, yet three games have now come and gone without troubling the scorers at their home ground.
Back-to-back 2-0 defeats have been suffered at the hands of Sheffield United and Stoke City, while Eustace’s side have not netted in their last four fixtures.
The solitary positive is that they remain just three points adrift of fifth place, putting them in a position where a return to winning ways could catapult them back up the table.
Cardiff City Championship form:
Blackburn Rovers Championship form:
Team News
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Yakou Meite and Chris Willock are both pushing for a return to the Cardiff XI, potentially in place of Callum Robinson, in what may become a forward line that rotates.
That could prove to be the only alteration with Riza unlikely to over-react to losing narrowly at Luton.
Joe Ralls and Aaron Ramsey are among the players who remain absent for the home side.
Eustace will inevitably make changes to his Blackburn side with Makhtar Gueye in line for a recall in the final third.
Tyrhys Dolan may have been in contention had he not needed to serve a one-match ban for picking up five yellow cards.
Kyle McFadzean is fit again and back on the substitutes’ bench, Eustace left with a decision to potentially switch to a back three to accommodate the veteran.
Cardiff City possible starting lineup:
Alnwick; Ng, Goutas, Chambers, O’Dowda; Siopis, Turnbull; Tanner, Colwill, El Ghazi; Meite
Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:
Pears; Brittain, Batth, Hyam, Pickering; Tronstad, Travis; Weimann, Cantwell, Hedges; Gueye
We say: Cardiff City 2-1 Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn have the potential to drop further down the table quickly, heaping the pressure on Eustace and his players. We do not feel that will benefit them this weekend, with Cardiff’s momentum at home likely to remain as they secure another hard-fought win.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.