Blackburn Rovers play host to Middlesbrough on Saturday afternoon with both teams sitting in the bottom half of the Championship standings.
While the home side can be relatively content with 13th position at this stage, Boro currently sit bottom after losing four of their five matches.
Match preview
© Reuters
Having recorded a remarkable 8-0 victory over Harrogate Town in the EFL Cup, Blackburn seemed perfectly prepared to build on that win at Plymouth Argyle before the international break.
Instead, Jon Dahl Tomasson witnessed his side succumbed to a 3-0 defeat at Home Park, shipping twice in the last 13 minutes to make it just one league triumph in their last four outings.
With an opening-day success over West Bromwich Albion, Rovers are still as high as 13th spot, yet Tomasson will be aware that they must find some consistency over the coming weeks.
Despite the goal glut against League Two opposition, Blackburn have netted just six times in the league, and Semir Telalovic has been signed from Borussia Monchengladbach in a bid to rectify that issue.
Nevertheless, Blackburn need to improve in all areas of the pitch if they are to mount a charge for the playoffs, where they spent the majority of 2022-23.
© Reuters
From Middlesbrough's perspective, the top six has to be a considered a bare minimum based on the success that they enjoyed under Michael Carrick during the last campaign.
However, Boro have endured a disastrous start, collecting just one point from five matches and netting just three goals in the process.
Under different management, the North East outfit started in similar fashion 12 months, yet all of the progress made from Carrick's opening stint in charge appears to have been lost.
Losing at home to Queens Park Rangers, who have generally been poor under Gareth Ainsworth, by a 2-0 scoreline was an indicator of how far off the pace that Boro currently are, and Carrick will be desperate for a response after having longer to work with his new-look squad.
- W
- D
- L
- W
- L
- L
- L
- D
- L
- L
Team News
© Reuters
Blackburn trio Dominic Hyam, Joe Rankin-Costello and Niall Ennis are all expected to be in contention to feature at Ewood Park.
Tomasson is expected to make changes, however, with Tyrhys Dolan and Harry Leonard both pushing to be included in the final third.
New forward Telalovic could be included on the substitutes' bench, depending on how he has fared in training.
Having had extra time to train with their new teammates, Lewis O'Brien and Sam Greenwood are both pushing for starts in the Middlesbrough XI.
Hayden Hackney and Morgan Rogers may be the players to make way, but fellow new arrival Alex Bangura could start his Boro career among the replacements.
Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:
Pears; Brittain, Carter, Hyam, Pickering; Travis, Wharton; Hedges, Szmodics, Dolan; Gallagher
Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:
Dieng; McNair, Fry, Lenihan, Engel; Howson, O'Brien; Silvera, Greenwood, Jones; Lath
We say: Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Middlesbrough
With Carrick having had some prolonged time on the training pitch, he will hope that Boro return to action with more confidence than they entered the international break. Nevertheless, Blackburn appear more capable of winning this fixture, albeit in what should prove to be a competitive game.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
