Blackburn Rovers will be looking to enjoy another cup run this term as they welcome League Two side Walsall to Ewood Park on Tuesday night in the first round of the EFL Cup.
Rovers made it to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup last season before falling short against Sheffield United, while Walsall will be hoping for some excitement after years of stagnation in the fourth tier.
Match preview
© Reuters
Blackburn started their Championship campaign with a 2-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion at Ewood Park on Saturday, with the hosts scoring a quickfire double in the first half to secure the maximum.
Much has been made ahead of the new season of the departures of Ben Brereton Diaz and Bradley Dack to Villarreal and Middlesbrough respectively, but young attackers Dilan Markanday and Harry Leonard got themselves onto the scoresheet against the Baggies to earn three points.
Back at their Lancashire home on Tuesday night, Jon Dahl Tomasson's men will be looking to better a decent run in last season's EFL Cup, with Rovers reaching the last 16 before being knocked out by Nottingham Forest in December.
Blackburn are one of only four sides who have won the competition this century competing in this season's first round - goals from Andy Cole and Matthew Brooke Jansen were enough to beat Tottenham Hotspur at the Millennium Stadium in the 2002 final.
Focusing on the modern day, Tomasson's men have fared well against lower-tier opposition in recent times, beating both Barnsley and Stockport County as part of their pre-season preparations in late July.
© Reuters
Walsall were unable to get their League Two campaign off to a positive start on Saturday afternoon after they returned from Morecambe's Mazuma Stadium without anything to show for their considerable efforts.
The Saddlers thought they had a forced a share of the spoils when Danny Johnson equalised following Adam Mayor's opener for the hosts, but a 92nd-minute winner from Shrimps centre-back Farrend Rawson snatched all the points.
Since a third-place finish in the 2015-16 League One campaign, Walsall have been a club on the decline, and their five League Two seasons so far have seen them finish exclusively between 12th and 19th.
The appropriately-named Mat Sadler is at the helm in the West Midlands, and the 38-year-old is enjoying his first spell as a manager after hanging up his boots at the conclusion of the 2020-21 term.
Tuesday's visitors have only managed to progress past the first round of the EFL Cup in two of the last seven years, but Walsall do have a level of pedigree in this competition - if you venture back long enough - with the Saddlers reaching the semi-finals in 1984.
- W
- L
Team News
© Reuters
Blackburn are expected to rest a number of their key players on Tuesday, but Sondre Tronstad could be handed a second start in four days as he looks to build his fitness up following a summer switch from Vitesse.
Adam Wharton and Scott Wharton both had to settle for places on the bench during their side's Championship, but the brothers should be promoted to the starting XI against Walsall.
Niall Ennis was an unused substitute in the opening-day victory over West Brom, and the former Plymouth Argyle man could be unleashed on Tuesday night to replace goalscorer Leonard at the head of the hosts' attack.
Walsall are also set to make a few changes from their XI which lost dramatically at Morecambe, meaning Douglas James-Taylor and Jamille Matt could be handed their first competitive starts of the new season.
The Saddlers' bench had a very youthful look to it at the Mazuma Stadium on Saturday, and many of those faces are in line for starting berths in Lancashire for this one, including goalkeeper Jackson Smith and defender Joe Foulkes.
Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:
Hilton; Brittain, S Wharton, Hyam, Pickering; A Wharton, Tronstad, Markanday, Hedges, Buckley; Ennis
Walsall possible starting lineup:
Jackson; Williams, Foulkes, Hussey; Riley, McEntee, Stirk, Gordon; Hutchinson; James-Taylor, Matt
We say: Blackburn Rovers 3-0 Walsall
Blackburn opened their Championship campaign with a win on Saturday, and they will be very confident of recording an even bigger victory against Walsall on Tuesday night.
The Saddlers continued their poor away form from the 2022-23 season with a loss at Morecambe last time out, and we believe that Rovers' attacking powers will be too strong for the fourth-tier visitors at Ewood Park.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
