Blackburn Rovers host Sheffield United at Ewood Park in a huge Sky Bet Championship clash.
Victory would see Blackburn climb to third before Middlesbrough play in a mid-afternoon kick-off, whilst second-placed Sheffield Utd can open a 10-point lead over Boro with a win.
Team News
Sam Gallagher (pictured) and Joe Rankin-Costello are set to be available after being substituted with knocks, during their surprise FA Cup win at Leicester in midweek.
Ben Brereton-Diaz and Sorba Thomas will also be available after they were suspended and cup-tied respectively,
Thomas Kaminski, Sam Barnes (both knee), Daniel Ayala, Bradley Dack (both hamstring), Jake Batty (ankle) and Scott Wharton (calf) remain absent.
Sheffield Utd will be without Anel Ahmedhodzic as he begins a two-match suspension, after he picked up his tenth booking of the league campaign in their win against Watford last weekend.
Jack O’Connell (fitness), Enda Stevens (muscle), Rhys Norrington-Davies and Rhian Brewster (both hamstring) remain ruled out.
When is Kick-Off?
Blackburn host Sheffield Utd at 12:30pm GMT at Ewood Park, with the match broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Blackburn have won just one of their last five league meetings against Sheffield United (W1, L4).
- Sheffied Utd have won just one of their last six visits to Ewood Park (W1, D2, L3).
- Blackburn have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last four home matches against Sheffield Utd.
- Rovers have kept a clean sheet in their last four league matches at home (W3, D1).
- Paul Heckingbottom’s Blades have kept just one clean sheet in their last five away games in the Championship (W2, D2, L1).
Prediction
Entering this match with a nine-point deficit to the Blades and unbeaten in all but one match since New Year, Blackburn can come into this match full of belief that they can spring a surprise and blow open the race for the second automatic promotion spot.
Jon Dahl Tomasson’s Rovers will also be buoyant by how they comfortably beat Leicester in the FA Cup with a dynamic energetic attacking display, although their defence deserve credit for a stubborn second-half effort to secure the win as Leicester upped the ante after netting a consolatory goal.
Sheffield Utd meanwhile certainly found themselves in a physical contest in their FA Cup win over Tottenham and were lucky to not need extra-time – courtesy of Iliman Ndiaye’s clinical winner, yet were ultimately disciplined across the pitch despite wasting several of their chances.
Blackburn though have had 24 hours more rest and if this game becomes scrappy, I do expect Rovers to have the edge because Sheffield Utd’s fitness levels might well be decisive.
Prediction: Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Sheffield United
Result: Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Sheffield United
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