Preview: Blackburn Rovers vs. Birmingham City - prediction, team news, lineups

The Rovers were clinical at the right moments to beat Stoke City 3-0 at the bet365 Stadium, whilst Blues recorded a much-needed win over strugglers Sheffield Wednesday at St Andrew's.

Match preview

Blackburn Rovers secured their fourth-straight away success in the Championship on the weekend with a resounding three-goal victory over Alex Neil's Stoke in Staffordshire, with Scott Wharton, Sammie Szmodics and Andy Moran finding the net as the Ewood Park club sealed their second-biggest win of the term.

It is the first time in 22 years that the Rovers have managed four successive maximums on the road, however Jon Dahl Tomasson's men are keenly aware that they need to improve their home form in order to achieve a coveted top-six finish, with the one-time Premier League champions losing five of their eight second-tier matches at their Lancashire home.

Local rivals Preston North End were the visitors to Ewood Park in the final match before November's international break and the hosts were dealt a significant blow in the final moments of the match, when Lilywhites centre-back Liam Lindsay netted a 90th-minute winner in front of a hysterical away end.

Following the departure of Ben Brereton Diaz to La Liga heavyweights Villarreal in the summer transfer window, former Peterborough United Szmodics has really stepped up to shoulder the goalscoring burden, and the 28-year-old's 11 Championship strikes means he currently leads Southampton marksman Adam Armstrong in the division's Golden Boot race.

With matches scheduled against Birmingham and relegation-threatened Sheffield Wednesday over the next week, Blackburn supporters will certainly be highlighting this period as a real opportunity for their side to close the three-point gap to Ryan Lowe's Preston and climb into the playoffs.

After failing to win any of his first five matches in charge of the club, Wayne Rooney would have had Saturday's meeting with bottom side Sheffield Wednesday highlighted on his calendar as the ideal chance to earn a maiden victory, and Birmingham were able to do just that at St Andrew's.

It was nowhere near straightforward for Blues, who were firmly second best in the first period and went behind just before the break after George Byers responded quickest to Barry Bannan's free-kick effort firing back off the post, however the hosts managed to complete a comeback thanks to strikes from Juninho Bacuna and Jordan James.

Following tricky trips to Middlesbrough, Southampton and Sunderland so far under the stewardship of Rooney, Wednesday's match at Ewood Park gives Blues an opportunity to improve their woeful away form which has seen them collect just four points from eight league outings to date.

The Second City club have looked far too open on their travels since the sacking of John Eustace last month, although the return of first-choice left-back Lee Buchanan from injury should help the visitors' backline in Lancashire, with the former Derby County man a consistent performer since moving from Werder Bremen in the summer.

Playing through their 13th-straight campaign in the Championship, there is an acceptance that promotion is off the cards this term despite the arrival of highly-ambitious American ownership spearheaded by Tom Wagner and NFL legend Tom Brady, with Blues still restricted in terms of their budget for the January transfer window due to overspending in the past.

Blackburn Rovers Championship form:

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Blackburn Rovers form (all competitions):

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Birmingham City Championship form:

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Team News

Blackburn welcomed back Harry Pickering and Hayden Carter to their starting XI for the win at Stoke after their respective injuries, and both should retain their places for this one.

Defender Scott Wharton is a doubt for Wednesday's clash after being forced off in the early stages in Staffordshire following a cclash of heads with Potters forward Dwight Gayle.

Ryan Hedges remains sidelined for the hosts due to a hamstring injury, and ex-Birmingham man Sam Gallagher will not be fit enough to face his former employers.

Birmingham are likely to make some changes in the midfield after the starting XI did not fare too well in the first half last time out, meaning match-winner James could be handed a place in the team at the expense of Krystian Bielik or Bacuna.

Youngster George Hall has suffered another setback during his recovery from a hamstring injury, with the Englishman sitting out of an Under-21s clash on Friday after complaining of a slight tweak in his leg.

Keshi Anderson and Tyler Roberts are yet to return to full training following hamstring and calf strains respectively, whilst midfielder Alfie Chang is out for the remainder of the campaign due to a serious knee injury.

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:

Wahlstedt; Hill, Carter, Travis, Pickering; Tronstad, A Wharton, Moran, Szmodics, Sigurdsson; Dolan

Birmingham City possible starting lineup:

Ruddy; Laird, Aiwu, Sanderson, Buchanan; James, Bacuna, Dembele, Miyoshi; Burke, Stansfield

We say: Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Birmingham City

Blackburn had to dig deep at points to hold onto their lead against Stoke, and their counter-attacking abilities could pay dividends once again against a Birmingham side who have been more expansive since the arrival of Rooney.

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