Blackburn Rovers host Middlesbrough in a crucial encounter in the race for the 2024-25 Championship Play-Offs.
Victory would see Blackburn go ninth in the table, whilst a win would lift Boro up to fifth in the table ahead of the weekend’s action.
Team News
Owen Beck is ruled out for Blackburn for rest of season due to a hamstring injury suffered in their defeat at Portsmouth last weekend.
Hayden Carter (calf) is also ruled out and joins; Callum Brittain (calf), Emmanuel Dennis, Augustus Kargbo (both hamstring), Andreas Weimann (knee) and Scott Wharton (ACL) on the sidelines.
Middlesbrough have no fresh injury concerns to report coming into this game.
Sol Brynn (shoulder), Dael Fry (calf), Luke Ayling, George Edmundson (both ankle) Alex Bangura (Achilles) and Darragh Lenihan (fitness/Achilles) are still sidelined.
When is Kick-Off?
Blackburn host Middlesbrough at Ewood Park on Friday 4 April at 8pm BST, live on Sky Sports Football in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Blackburn have lost one of their last 11 league meetings against Middlesbrough (W6, D4, L1).
- Middlesbrough have won one of their last five trips to Blackburn (W1, D1, L3).
- Both teams have taken one win apiece in their last two clashes at Ewood Park which both ended in a 2-1 result.
- Three of Andreas Weimann’s seven league goals for Blackburn this season were scored at home, of which Rovers avoided defeat in those three specific matches (W2, D1).
- Just seven of Middlesbrough’s 20 points since the turn of 2025 has been earned on the road (W2, D1, L5).
Prediction
Currently five points adrift of the play-off spots and Boro, you have to think that this is do-or-die for Blackburn’s play-off dreams realistically but they first must stop their defensive rot which has seen them take one point in their last six and lose their last four outings.
Boro meanwhile have found form again across that same period but their away form has been poor which combined with their terrible record at Ewood Park will create some nerves, but they can take heart from a well-fought comeback against Oxford United as the first goal could well be key.
As much as I feel that this could well be close such is Boro’s terrible away form, I do think that this might just be the ideal time to halt their Ewood Park rut if want to push for the play-offs, but Blackburn won’t make this easy.
Prediction: Blackburn 1-2 Middlesbrough
