Blackburn Rovers Welcome Stoke City to Ewood Park in Championship Clash

Blackburn Rovers host Stoke City this Tuesday at Ewood Park for round 14 of the EFL Championship. Both clubs enter the fixture with contrasting momentum following the weekend matches, looking to secure vital points as the season progresses into November.

Blackburn currently lie in 13th position in the league standings with 18 points. Manager Tony Mowbray's team is eager to rebound after suffering a disappointing 4-0 defeat against Swansea City in South Wales. That heavy loss halted a positive run that had seen Rovers win four of their previous six league outings, moving them nine points clear of the relegation zone.

On the other side, Stoke City arrive in Lancashire placed seventh in the table with 23 points. Mark Robins's squad secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over Preston North End at the weekend, courtesy of goals from Ben Wilmot and Jack McGlynn, concluding October in strong form. The Potters have enjoyed an impressive resurgence this season following a tactical shift to a back three, winning seven of their last 10 matches.

Looking back at historical encounters, the previous meeting between Blackburn and Stoke ended in a 1-1 draw. In fact, the sides have shared the spoils with 1-1 scorelines in each of their last two head-to-head fixtures. Blackburn will be striving to overcome that recent trend and claim a victory that could lift them within a point of the playoff positions.

Both managers face squad adjustments due to recent injuries and fixture congestion. Blackburn suffered a major blow against Swansea when defender Harry Pickering was forced off after just 24 minutes with an injury, joining long-term absentees Adam Forshaw and Ryoya Morishita on the sidelines. Gady Beyuku is expected to contend for a starting spot in the absence of Pickering.

For the visiting Potters, manager Mark Robins has the option to deploy an unchanged lineup after a successful weekend, though the quick turnaround may prompt some tactical rotation. Stoke will travel without Eric Bocat, Ato Ampah, Sam Gallagher, and Lamine Cisse, while captain Viktor Johansson will retain his duties in goal.

As the match got underway at Ewood Park, early action saw competitive sequences from both sides, with Blackburn pressing forward through attempts by Hayden Carter and Jayden Fevrier, while Stoke's defense held firm under early pressure from the home attack.