Blackburn Rovers welcome QPR to Ewood Park in a huge clash in the race for promotion from the Sky Bet Championship.
Victory would see Blackburn go third for at least a few hours, whereas QPR can go second with a win until teatime at minimum.
Team News
Deyovaisio Zeefuik could return for Blackburn after recovering from a hamstring injury which has kept him sidelined in recent weeks.
Manager, Tony Mowbray however could be without some unnamed players due to knocks picked up in their midweek loss at Sheffield United.
Daniel Ayala (calf), Bradley Dack (knee), Tayo Edun and Ian Poveda (ankle) aren’t likely to be available but Ben Brereton (ankle) is definitely ruled out.
QPR will welcome Rob Dickie back from suspension after he missed their midweek win against Blackpool.
Sam McCallum (hamstring) is back in contention for selection but Lyndon Dykes (knock) and Lee Wallace (groin) could both return if pass late fitness tests.
Dion Sanderson is suspended after being sent off in midweek.
Stat Attack
- Blackburn have won two of their last five meetings against QPR (W2, L3).
- QPR are winless in their last ten visits to Ewood Park in all competitions (D2, L8).
- Rovers are looking to avoid three consecutive defeats against QPR for the first time since December 1967- September 1969.
- Blackburn are looking to avoid a sixth consecutive match without scoring a goal for the first time this century.
- QPR have conceded three goals in their last two away matches without scoring (L2).
Prediction
Having gone six matches without a single goal, Blackburn are coming into this crunch game with serious finishing issues when other players should be stepping up their quality with Brereton sidelined.
One positive though is that they did play well at Sheffield Utd in a scrappy midweek encounter but just lacked that clinical finish, which proved their downfall given how tight the match was across ninety minutes especially after the Blades were reduced to ten men.
QPR meanwhile found themselves in their own midweek scrap against Blackpool after getting reduced to ten men, yet had the quality to grind out a late winner against a difficult Blackpool team even after conceding which will give them extra belief.
Focusing on this particular match now and I do expect a tough battle given QPR’s poor away form at Ewood Park, yet they are the better attacking team at present so I have a feeling that this could get scrappy and potentially finish goalless which would suit Blackburn.
Prediction: Blackburn Rovers 0-0 QPR
Result: Blackburn Rovers 1-0 QPR