Both desperately striving to avoid unlikely drops into League One, Blackburn Rovers will do battle with a resurgent Millwall side at Ewood Park on Tuesday night in the Championship.
Rovers' winless run under their new management continued at Swansea City on Saturday afternoon, whilst the Lions were at their stubborn best to earn maximum points off Watford on the same day.
Match preview
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After eighth and seventh-placed finishes in the past two Championship seasons under the likes of Tony Mowbray and Jon Dahl Tomasson, Blackburn Rovers are now in the midst of a full-blow relegation following a record of two wins in their last 17 second-tier matches, stretching back to the end of 2023.
New head coach John Eustace is without a victory in five league matches since taking charge in the middle of February, and although a number of performances - including the FA Cup exit to Newcastle United - have shown promise, the reality is that Rovers have collected just three points from five second-tier games.
To say that the goals of Sammie Szmodics could keep Blackburn in the Championship is no overstatement - the former Peterborough United attacker is currently leading the division's Golden Boot race with 19 goals in 33 contests, ahead of the likes of Southampton's Adam Armstrong and Plymouth Argyle's Morgan Whittaker.
The emerging form of Queens Park Rangers and Sheffield Wednesday in recent matches has drawn a large contingent of teams into the scrap for survival as the season approaches its business end, with Eustace's men sitting in 17th but just a single point above 22nd-placed Stoke City.
Having lost seven of their last nine away matches in the Championship, Blackburn will be relatively happy to be back at their Ewood Park base on Tuesday night, with the hosts enjoying 5-2, 4-1 and 3-1 successes at their Lancashire home since the turn of the calendar year, providing a cause for optimism ahead of a crunch clash.
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Returning to a brilliant reception from those of a Millwall persuasion inside The Den on Saturday afternoon, Neil Harris maintained his 100% record during his latest stint as Lions boss as they narrowly got the better of Valerien Ismael's Watford, with a key man hitting his stride at a vital junction in the campaign.
After netting from the penalty spot in the victory at Southampton last weekend, flying Dutchman Zian Flemming hit a 35-yard free-kick past Ben Hamer to hand Millwall all three points in South London, not before the hosts had endured - and crucially survived - a second-half onslaught from the visiting Hornets.
Six points from six available since the arrival of Harris from Cambridge United has allowed the Lions to stay afloat in the battle for second-tier safety, with Tuesday's visitors currently lying in 18th position, just a single point ahead of Steve Schumacher's Stoke in the relegation places.
Still under the stewardship of the now-departed Joe Edwards, Millwall turned to the Premier League loan market during the January transfer window to give their chances of survival a boost, with Michael Obafemi and Japhet Tanganga joining on temporary deals from Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur respectively.
The Lions have a poor recent record against Blackburn, having drawn two and lost five of their last seven meetings between the sides in the Championship, with Millwall last victory at Ewood Park coming all the way back in March 2013, when a solitary Danny Shittu goal was enough for success in the FA Cup.
Team News
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Blackburn could be without the services of striker Semir Telalovic on Tuesday, with the German missing the weekend's match due to illness.
Andrew Moran was replaced at the Swansea.com Stadium following a shaky opening 45 minutes from the young Irishman, meaning that Yasin Ayari could take his spot in the engine room this time around.
Sondre Tronstad did not feature in South Wales due to an ankle injury, and it remains to be seen whether the Norwegian can play a part at Ewood Park on Tuesday.
Ryan Hedges has not played since the Norwich draw due to a groin issue, with the Welshman to be assessed ahead of the midweek clash with the Lions.
Millwall were dealt a major injury blow in the past week, with attacker Tom Bradshaw expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the season due to an Achilles injury.
With former Hibernian man Kevin Nisbet already out for the term because of a hamstring strain, Harris is down to just the single striking option in the form of Burnley loanee Obafemi.
Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:
Pears; Hyam, McFadzean, Wharton; Brittain, Ayari, Buckley, Pickering; Dolan, Gallagher, Szmodics
Millwall possible starting lineup:
Sarkic; Leonard, Tanganga, Cooper, McNamara; Honeyman, Mitchell, Saville, Watmore; Flemming, Obafemi
We say: Blackburn Rovers 0-0 Millwall
In a game that both teams will be desperate to avoid defeat in, we are expecting a cagey contest on Tuesday night, especially with Harris's Millwall in town.
Blackburn have the division's top goalscorer, but we reckon that they will have to settle for another home point under the leadership of Eustace.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
