Blackburn vs Southampton prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2024-04-05 14:00.
[p]An unexpected 5-1 thrashing of Sunderland on Easter Monday, their biggest league win in two-and-a-half years, put some much-needed daylight between Blackburn and the Championship’s bottom three. Beginning this match round five points above the relegation zone, that result brought John Eustace his first league win as Rovers’ boss at the tenth attempt (D6, L3), and just a second league win of 2024 for his side overall (D8, L5)![/p]
[p]They now return to Ewood Park, where they’ve struggled to make home advantage count all season. Only four teams in the Championship have won fewer home league games, and that includes two of the current bottom three! Evidencing the importance of a quick start, in all six of their home wins they’ve scored the opening goal, and when that’s happened at Ewood Park this season, they’ve only lost twice (D3, L2).[/p]
[p]Saturday’s opponents Southampton head north on the back of a gut-wrenching late defeat at Ipswich (3-2) which further damaged their already faint hopes of automatic promotion. The fourth-placed Saints – whose games so far this season have had the third-most goals in the final 15 minutes (31) – start this match round 12 points off the top two, albeit with two games in hand on those they are chasing.[/p]
[p]If they are to stand any chance of making one of those automatic spots, Russell Martin’s side must quickly re-find the form which saw them go 22 league games unbeaten (W16, D6) earlier this season. During that run, they dispatched Blackburn 4-0, but with just one clean sheet in their last eight Championship outings, a repeat scoreline seems unlikely.[/p]
[p]Key battle: Sammie Szmodics has scored both of Blackburn’s last two home goals, unsurprising given he’s responsible for over 41% of their league strikes this season. Returning to his former stomping ground, Adam Armstrong has netted 13 of his 20 league goals for Saints in the first half, while he’s won all three of his personal H2Hs against Rovers.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Southampton have won just one of the last 15 league H2Hs at Ewood Park (D3, L11) dating all the way back to 1952, failing to score in four of their last six visits![/p]