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Blackburn logo
Championship
Nov 7, 2015 at 3pm UK
 
Brentford logo

1-1

Lawrence (37')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Vibe (24')

Preview: Blackburn Rovers vs. Brentford

Sports Mole previews the clash between Blackburn Rovers and Brentford in the Championship at Ewood Park.

Blackburn Rovers are aiming to extend their unbeaten run to three matches when they play Brentford in their Championship clash at Ewood Park.

The Bees' resurgence under Lee Carsley was halted in midweek by a 2-0 defeat to Hull City, ending their winning run at four matches.


Blackburn Rovers

Manager of Blackburn Rovers Gary Bowyer looks on during the Sky Bet Championship match between Blackburn Rovers and Derby County at Ewood Park on September 17, 2014© Getty Images

Rovers endured a difficult start to the campaign as they failed to win any of their opening seven fixtures in the second tier, putting manager Gary Bowyer under pressure.

However, since the middle of September the club have lost just two games and have moved away from the relegation zone into the security of mid-table.

Bowyer's men have found a consistency to their form, which has helped them bounce back from their derby defeat at the hands of Burnley to record a 2-0 victory against Leeds United and a solid goalless draw against Birmingham City during the week.

The form of Jordan Rhodes has been crucial to his side's upturn in form as he has notched eight goals in their last 10 matches. The club have only scored 14 goals this season, leaving much of the burden on the shoulders of the Scotland international to carry his team this term.

Rovers have been one of the best defences in the division this season as they boast the seventh-best record in the Championship. Bowyer's men have kept six clean sheets over the course of the campaign, including in their last two outings.

Blackburn have lost twice at home this season, with their defeats coming to Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers on the opening day. Their form has been steady and Bowyer will be hopeful that his side's revival can continue at the expense of the Bees on Saturday.

Recent form: WLDLWD


Brentford

Lee Carsley, manager of Brentford looks on during the Sky Bet Championship match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brentford at Molineux on October 21, 2015© Getty Images

Brentford struggled immensely at the start of the season under the tenure of Marinus Dijkhuizen, losing four of their eight matches.

The Bees' hierarchy sacked the Dutchman and replaced him with Carsley, although his reign got off to a nightmare start with back-to-back defeats to Birmingham City and Derby County.

However, the club won their next four matches on the spin with wins over Rotherham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Charlton Athletic and Queens Park Rangers to move them clear of the relegation zone.

The run was ended by a 2-0 defeat to Hull City at Griffin Park, but the Bees can take heart from their displays ahead of their clash against Rovers in an attempt to get right back on track.

Brentford have boasted the eighth-best attack in the Championship this season with 20 goals in their 14 matches as Alan Judge has notched five strikes this term. The form of Marco Djuricin has also been a boost, with the forward netting the decisive goal in the club's win over QPR.

The Bees have been suspect at the back, conceding 22 goals this season; only five teams have allowed more goals in the division. The club have only kept three clean sheets over the course of the campaign, with all three coming in their four-match winning streak.

Carsley's men have been impressive on the road this season, earning half of their 20 points on their travels, so Brentford will go into the clash against Rovers with plenty of confidence.

Recent form: LWWWWL


Team News

Corry Evans of Blackburn Rovers in action during the Sky Bet Championship match between Blackburn Rovers and Norwich City at Ewood Park on February 24, 2015© Getty Images

Fode Koita is expected to return to the fold after missing time due to injury for Rovers. The 26-year-old made a substitute appearance against Birmingham and could push for a recall to the starting lineup on Saturday.

Grant Hanley displayed that he had no adverse effects from his head injury sustained in his side's win over Leeds in the draw at St Andrew's during the week, and is expected to continue in the heart of the defence.

Corry Evans will return from suspension for the clash, but Danny Guthrie has been ruled out with a calf injury.

The Bees could be without Alan Judge for the contest due to a hamstring injury, with Carsley admitting that the decision over the forward will be left to the last minute.

Jota is still out of action with an ankle injury, while Lewis Macleod, Josh McEachran and Maxime Colin are all still sidelined.

Blackburn possible starting lineup:
Steele; Marshall, Duffy, Hanley, Olsson; Taylor, Williamson; Akpan, Conway, Lawrence; Rhodes

Brentford possible starting lineup:
Button; Yennaris, Dean, Tarkowski, Bidwell; Woods, Diagouraga, McCormack; Vibe, Djuricin, Judge


Head To Head

Brentford won both of the meetings between the sides last season, including a 3-2 triumph at Ewood Park as goals from Chris Long, Jota and Andre Gray secured the three points.

The Bees recorded a 3-1 victory at Griffin Park as Jonathan Douglas, Gray and Jota all found the net in the clash.

Over the course of history, Rovers have edged the 29 contests by winning 14 of the matches, while Brentford have won 12, with three of the matches ending in stalemates.


Sports Mole Logo

We say: Blackburn 1-1 Brentford

Both teams come into the match in decent form; while Rovers have been solid at Ewood Park, the Bees have been equally impressive on the road. As a result, expect the teams to play out a draw in the match on Saturday as there is little to separate the sides.



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