Blackburn Rovers v West Bromwich Albion, Ewood Park, tomorrow 3pm
KEY BATTLE
JAKE Livermore was sent off when the sides last met at Ewood on New Year’s Day in 2018 for unceremoniously throwing Lewis Travis to the floor. The Rovers midfielder, not one to back down, will be up for round two.
LAST TIME OUT
ROVERS scored in the first, and final, minutes of the first half, but still trailed 3-2 at the end of a breathless first half at The Hawthorns in August. Rovers pushed for a leveller in the second half, and saw a goal controversially chalked off for a foul.
Rovers did win the last meeting at Ewood however, on New Year's Day 2019, with Charlie Mulgrew and Bradley Dack on target in a 2-1 victory.
MAN IN THE MIDDLE
Jarred Gillett - The Australian official has taken charge of two Rovers games this season, the 1-0 win over Middlesbrough last August, in which he awarded them a penalty, and the 5-0 demolition of Sheffield Wednesday in February where he sent off Owls midfielder Massimo Luongo. Has shown 89 yellow cards and two reds in his 29 matches this season.
TEAM NEWS
Joe Rankin-Costello should shake off the cramp that forced him off against Cardiff in midfield and is expected to keep his place at left back. That means Tony Mowbray could be afforded the luxury of naming the same side for the first time since the 2-2 draw with Brentford on February 22. Ben Brereton serves the final match of his three game ban.
For the Baggies, Grady Diangana came off against Derby but boss Slaven Bilic says that was just a precaution. The only other injury oubt is Kieran Gibbs, who went off against Hull with a hamstring injury, although that isn't as bad as first feared.
Callum Robinson and Hal Robson-Kanu are both primed for recalls, while at the back, Ahmed Hegazi is back from a one-match suspension.
PREDICTED TEAMS
Rovers: Christian Walton, Ryan Nyambe, Darragh Lenihan, Tosin Adarabioyo, Joe Rankin-Costello, Lewis Travis, Bradley Johnson, Stewart Downing, Dominic Samuel, Danny Graham, Adam Armstrong
West Brom: Sam Johnstone, Darragh O’Shea, Kyle Bartley, Semi Ajayi, Connor Townsend, Romaine Sawyers, Jake Livermore, Kamil Grosicki, Mateus Pereira, Callum Robinson, Hal Robson-Kanu
WHAT'S THE ODDS?
ROVERS are 18/5 to keep their faint play-off hopes alive with victory over the Baggies who arrive as 4/5 favourites. The draw is priced at 5/2. Bradley Johnson scored in the meeting earlier this season, and you can get 15/2 on his scoring at anytime.
FIXTURES
Huddersfield v Luton (FRI)
Fulham v Cardiff (FRI)
Charlton v Reading (12.30)
Derby v Brentford (12.30)
Barnsley v Wigan
Hull v Millwall
Middlesbrough v Bristol City
Preston v Nottingham Forest
QPR v Sheffield Wednesday
Stoke v Birmingham (SUN)
Swansea v Leeds (SUN)
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