Blackburn vs Rotherham prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-12-31 15:00.
Blackburn Rovers may have shown admirable spirit to come from 2-0 down at Hull on Friday night, but Jon Dahl Tomasson’s men ultimately left the MKM Stadium empty handed. The Lancashire outfit have now suffered four consecutive league defeats for the second time this season, and having conceded 12 goals across their current miserable streak, pressure is starting to mount on Tomasson’s position.
Only upcoming opponents Rotherham United have conceded more (48) than Rovers’ 46, and given Blackburn have conceded six goals across the previous two H2Hs (D1, L1), this fixture perhaps isn’t as favourable as the table suggests. Anxiety around Ewood Park will likely grow as the contest goes on, as the hosts have conceded 18 times beyond the 75th minute this term – a comfortable league-high.
After 11 matches without a win, the writing seemed to be on the wall for Rotherham in their fight against relegation. However, a morale-boosting 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough followed by a 1-1 draw with Sunderland has been a shot in the arm for the Millers, who head to Ewood Park daring to dream of a first away league triumph since November 2022!
Rotherham may still be bottom and eight points adrift of safety, but they can be inspired by the fact new boss Leam Richardson has beaten Blackburn on the two previous occasions that he has faced them when he was Wigan manager. That said, Richardson may find it tricky to have the same success with his new employers given his side have the Championship’s bluntest attack and leakiest defence on the road this season.
Players to watch: After four games without a goal, Blackburn's Sammie Szmodics got back on the scoresheet at Hull and netted twice in the reverse fixture (D 2-2) at Rotherham in August. Millers midfielder Sam Clucas marked his first start in almost seven weeks with an absolute screamer against Sunderland and he’s won four of his seven personal meetings (D2, L1) with Rovers.
Hot stat: No team has picked up more Championship red cards than either Blackburn or Rotherham this season (four).