2024-25 FA Cup: Fourth Round – Blackburn vs Wolves

Blackburn Rovers look to cause a giant killing against Premier League’s Wolves in a Fourth Round tie in the 2024-25 FA Cup. 

Victory will see Blackburn reach the fifth round for a third consecutive season, whilst Wolves look to progress beyond this stage for a second straight campaign.

 

Team News

Left-back, Yuri Ribeiro could make his debut for Blackburn following his deadline day move from Braga, whilst loan signings – Emmanuel Dennis and Cauley Woodrow could too feature.

Dion Sanderson is cup-tied whilst Harry Leonard is ruled out with a back injury which had forced him to sit out their last two league matches.

Arnor Sigurdsson (thigh/calf), Sondre Tronstad (hamstring), Hayden Carter, Harry Pickering (both knee), Yuki Ohashi (ankle) and Scott Wharton (ACL) remain absent.

Wolves could welcome Boubacar Traore back after he missed their Premier League win over Aston Villa due to illness.

Joao Gomes is also back after he was suspended last weekend but Jorgen Strand Larsen (muscle), Yerson Mosquera (knee), Leon Chiwone, Sasa Kalajdzic and Enso Gonzalez (all ACL) remain sidelined.

New signings, Nasser Djiga and Marshall Munetsi could make their debuts for the Old Gold.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Blackburn host Wolves at Ewood Park on Sunday 9 February at 12:30pm GMT, live on BBC iPlayer in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• Blackburn have lost three of their last five FA Cup ties against Wolves (W2, L3), although they did lose their tie in 1920 by a 1-0 result in a replay at Molineux after a 2-2 draw at Ewood Park.
• Wolves are winless in their five previous FA Cup visits to Blackburn (D1, L4).
• This is Blackburn’s FA Cup meeting against Wolves this century, having last met in this competition in May 1960 in 1959-60 FA Cup Final which Wolves won 3-0 at Wembley on that occasion.
• Blackburn have failed to win any of their last five FA Cup ties at home to Premier League opposition (D1, L4), although two of those defeats came in replays against Liverpool and Newcastle – whilst they also lost to the latter on penalties last season in the fifth round after a 1-1 draw.
• Wolves are unbeaten in their last five FA Cup matches away to lower league opposition (W4, D1).

 

Prediction

Currently locked in a fierce battle for the last two play-off spots in the Championship, Blackburn could be forgiven for fielding a weaker team here but I do expect them to come out fighting after a tough defeat in a physical midweek contest at QPR.

Wolves meanwhile have their own league issues as they battle for top-flight survival so I wouldn’t be surprised if Vitor Pereira make some changes, yet he went strong in the last round at Bristol City which shows that he values momentum if they’re to go on a cup run and avoid relegation.

Ewood Park though is Wolves’ bogey ground in the FA Cup and I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the case again but this time, I can see this being a proper close battle with penalties proving the difference.

Prediction: Blackburn 1-1 Wolves (Blackburn to win on penalties)

Result: Blackburn 0-2 Wolves