Blackburn Rovers v Sunderland – Ewood Park, 8pm – Sky Bet Championship

 

FORM GUIDE

Sunderland got back to winning ways at the weekend, with a 2-1 success against Wigan Athletic, having previously gone four games without one.

Three of those were draws however, and out of their last six matches, their form reads: WDDDLW.

Since Tony Mowbray took over, Sunderland have accrued 12 points from eight games.

They have the 10th best away record in the division, with three wins, three defeats and one draw. They have scored 11 and conceded nine.  

Rovers meanwhile, they also had a win at the weekend, beating Middlesbrough 2-1.

They come into this one on the back of three successive home wins, and have won five out of seven at Ewood.

That means only Reading (16) have taken more points at home this season than Rovers’ 15.

 

LEAGUE TABLE

Rovers moved up to fifth after the weekend win at Boro, and could finish the night top of the table with a win, and results elsewhere going their way.

For Sunderland, they start in ninth, with 20 points from 14 games, and a victory for them, and results elsewhere going their way, could see them move into the top six.

 

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

Tonight’s game will be the first time the sides have met in more than 10 years.

The last time they did was in March 2012 when goals from Junior Hoilett and Yakubu gave Rovers a 2-0 victory.

The sides played out a 0-0 draw at Ewood in October 2010 and a 2-2 draw in December 2009.

There have been 128 league meetings in all, with Sunderland winning 60, Rovers 42 and 26 draws.

 

FAMILIAR FACE

While much has been made of Tony Mowbray’s first return to Ewood Park, five months after his departure, there is another return on the cards.

Corry Evans played 220 times for Rovers between 2013 and 2021 and will make his first return this evening, having missed the weekend win over Wigan through suspension.

Evans is expected to captain the Black Cats, having helped them to promotion from League One last season.

 

TEAM NEWS

Rovers will be without Daniel Ayala for a second game running, while captain Lewis Travis will miss out through suspension after collecting a fifth booking of the season at Middlesbrough.

Ben Brereton is expected to be fit, despite limping off in the closing stages against Boro.

For Sunderland, Evans will return after serving his one-match ban, though Ellis Simms remains out injured.

 

OPPOSITION VIEW

Corry Evans: “Blackburn is going to be a difficult game. I know all about them. We are looking forward to Tuesday.

“That's the nature of the Championship. The Tuesday night games are very important, you have to be at it because it's physically demanding and the teams that can come out on Tuesday nights after a Saturday can get points. It adds up that way.”

 

THE ODDS

Rovers are 6/5 to make it back-to-back wins, with the draw 9/4 and Sunderland are priced at 23/10. Ben Brereton is 9/2 to score first, with Rovers to win 1-0 at 6/1.

 

REF WATCH

Craig Pawson will be the man in the middle today. It will be his first Championship match of the season, with his 11 games so far having come in the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, Europa Conference League, as well as the Community Shield. He has handed out 49 yellow cards in those 11 games.

Pawson was also in charge of last season’s FA Cup final, and this will be his first EFL game since May 2021.

 

STAT-ATTACK

Rovers are searching out a fourth successive home win. They achieved that feat last season, going on to win five straight games at Ewood, between November 6 and December 18.

 

ELSEWHERE IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP

Huddersfield Town v PNE

Norwich Town v Luton Town

Swansea City v Reading

Stoke City v Rotherham (8pm)

West Brom v Bristol City (8pm)

Birmingham v Burnley (WED)

Blackpool v Hull City (WED)

Coventry v Sheff United (WED)

QPR v Cardiff City (WED)

Wigan v Middlesbrough (WED)

Millwall v Watford (WED)