Blackburn Rovers welcome Middlesbrough to Ewood Park in a huge Sky Bet Championship clash in Monday Night Football.
Victory or at least one point at minimum would see Blackburn go above Bournemouth into second, whereas Middlesbrough can reclaim sixth with a win.
Team News
Ben Brereton is ruled out for Blackburn after he was called up for Chile’s rearranged international fixtures this month.
Dilan Markanday will also be absent after suffering a hamstring injury during Blackburn’s midweek loss at Hull.
Lewis Travis (illness) could return but Harry Pickering (hamstring), Ian Poveda (ankle) and Bradley Dack (knee) remains sidelined.
Middlesbrough will be without Riley McGree after the Australian was called up for international duty with Australia.
Marc Bola and Marcus Browne (both knee) remain absent.
Stat Attack
- Blackburn have lost just one of their last 13 meetings against Middlesbrough (W4, D8, L1).
- Middlesbrough won just one of their last six visits to Ewood Park (W1, D2, L3).
- Rovers have kept clean sheets in their last two home games against Boro.
- This is Blackburn’s first match without Brereton available for selection for the first time in 52 league matches since Boxing Day 2020.
- Three of Boro’s last four league goals scored away from home have been scored by Duncan Watmore.
Prediction
Despite having endured a frustrating defeat at Hull, Blackburn did play well but just lacked that finishing touch which will be more evident here with Brereton unavailable, yet this is a huge opportunity for Sam Gallagher, Reda Khadra and Tyrhys Dolan to step up.
Boro meanwhile are unbeaten in their last eight matches but defensive errors are beginning to seep back into their play with four goals conceded in their last three games, although Brereton’s absence should give them some confidence against a weakened home attack.
Both teams though come into this match in excellent form but Ewood Park has been a bogey ground for Boro, yet this should be a superb scrap as both teams chase promotion but Brereton’s absence could well be influential if the hosts can’t adapt quickly.
Prediction: Blackburn 1-1 Middlesbrough
Result: Blackburn 1-0 Middlesbrough
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