Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Championship clash between Blackburn Rovers and Oxford United, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Blackburn Rovers and Oxford United will be looking to continue their promising starts to the new Championship campaign when they meet at Ewood Park on Saturday afternoon.
While the home side remain unbeaten and sit in fourth position in the standings, newcomers Oxford have three points to their name and are ninth.
Match preview
© Imago
With Sammie Szmodics having finally left for Ipswich Town, Blackburn and boss John Eustace face the difficult task of trying to replace last season’s Championship top goalscorer.
There would have been question marks over how they would perform at Norwich City last weekend, yet Eustace will be satisfied with a share of the spoils at Carrow Road.
Ryan Hedges initially put Rovers ahead before Yuki Ohashi, who looks to be one of the signings of the summer, netted an equaliser with three minutes remaining.
Having conceded five goals from three games in all competitions, Eustace has issues to sort in defence, but this appears to be a Blackburn side who have the potential to challenge for promotion.
Eustace will also have money to spend during the final week of the transfer window, the expectation being that several fresh faces could come through the door.
Meanwhile, Oxford would suffer their first defeat of the season last Friday as they went down by a 3-2 scoreline at Coventry City.
Des Buckingham witnessed his team twice come from behind at the home of the Sky Blues, only to succumb to a last-gasp winner from Haji Wright.
Nevertheless, positives can still be taken from their efforts, particularly when 2-0 wins had been posted against Norwich and Peterborough United in the previous games.
Although Buckingham will be keen to ease expectations at the Kassam Stadium, there is genuine belief that they have the capabilities to earn a result against their upcoming opponents.
Blackburn Rovers Championship form:
Blackburn Rovers form (all competitions):
Oxford United Championship form:
Oxford United form (all competitions):
Team News
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Eustace must decide whether to hand an opportunity from the start to Ohashi, who has scored in every appearance for Blackburn thus far.
Makhtar Gueye could perhaps keep his place from the opening whistle, though, with the only selection dilemma potentially being regarding Hayden Carter who needed to be withdrawn late on against Norwich.
Buckingham may see no reason to tinker with an Oxford side that were level with Coventry before he made any substitutions.
That would leave the likes of Louie Sibley, Matt Phillips and Malcolm Ebiowei all awaiting their first league starts for the club.
Striker Mark Harris has scored in each of his two Championship appearances this season.
Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:
Pears; Brittain, Carter, Hyam, Pickering; Tronstad, Travis; Rankin-Costello, Dolan, Hedges; Gueye
Oxford United possible starting lineup:
Cumming; Long, Moore, Brown, Bennett; Vaulks; Goodrham, Rodrigues, Brannagan, Placheta; Harris
We say: Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Oxford United
With Blackburn still adapting to life with Szmodics, Oxford may sense an opportunity to strike. However, we are still backing the free-scoring home side to come through with an hard-earned three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.