2024-25 Sky Bet Championship: Week 26 – Saturday

Blackburn host Burnley in a huge Lancashire derby as both teams chase promotion. 

Victory will see Blackburn climb to fifth if West Brom lose at Swansea in the lunchtime kick-offs, whilst Middlesbrough don’t play until mid-afternoon.

Burnley can stay second with a win.

 

Team News

Yuki Ohashi is ruled out for Blackburn after he suffered an ankle injury in the 1-1 draw at Leeds on New Year’s Day.

Todd Cantwell (illness), Hayden Carter (knee), Arnor Sigurdsson (thigh/calf), Lewis Travis (hamstring), Harry Pickering (knee) and Scott Wharton (ACL) remain absent.

Burnley will be without Hannibal Mejbri following his red card in their goalless New Year’s Day draw against Stoke.

Mike Tresor (illness) misses out whilst new signing, Oliver Sonne is serving a suspension carried over from his time at Denmark’s Silkeborg.

Manuel Benson, Nathan Redmond (both calf), Jordan Beyer and Aaron Ramsey (both knee) are still ruled out.

Ashley Barnes could make his first appearance following his return to the Clarets, having terminated his contract at Norwich.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Blackburn host Burnley at Ewood Park on Saturday 4 January at 12:30pm GMT, live on Sky Sports Football in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• Blackburn are winless in their last nine league meetings against Burnley (D4, L5).
• Burnley have claimed 10 points in their last seven trips to Blackburn (W3, D1, L3).
• As a manager, Scott Parker has lost one of five meetings against Blackburn (W3, D1, L1).
• Blackburn have kept clean sheets in two of their last four home games (W2, D1, L1).
• Burnley are looking to avoid suffering three consecutive draws for the first time since January – February 2022.

 

Prediction

Getting a result at Leeds was a tough ask but Blackburn deserve credit for a resilient defensive display, before hitting straight back minutes after Leeds scored a penalty which shows how gutsy they are despite recent dip in form.

Burnley once again lacked clinical creativity in their end product as they stuttered to a goalless draw against Stoke like they did at Middlesborough, so more composure is needed if want to get something here.

Although this does feel like a tough battle, I do think that if Blackburn score first then they will hang tough for a narrow win but a draw feels more likely.

Prediction: Blackburn 1-1 Burnley

Result: Blackburn 0-1 Burnley