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

Blackburn Rovers and Norwich City meet in the Championship on Good Friday aware that this is arguably their most important match of the season.

While sixth-placed Rovers have the opportunity to open up a seven-point gap over the Canaries in the final playoff spot, the visitors can move to within one point of the top six in the standings.

Match preview

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When Blackburn recently put together an eight-match unbeaten streak, Jon Dahl Tomasson would have been confident that the foundations had been laid to make sure of a top-six spot.

However, defeats at Stoke City and Birmingham City have left Rovers needing to rediscover some form to ease the pressure heading deeper into the run-in.

Fortunately for Blackburn, they earned a late 2-1 win over Reading between those setbacks, and they continue to hold a four-point lead over the chasing pack having played a game fewer.

That match in hand will only prove pivotal if Rovers can return to winning ways sooner rather than later, and it is plausible that it could happen on Friday given their home record.

Tomasson has guided Blackburn to 13 successes from 18 league fixtures at Ewood Park this season, with none of their four defeats coming since the turn of the year.

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This will represent the third time that these two teams have locked horns since December 17, Blackburn winning twice at Carrow Road in quick succession due to their FA Cup third-round tie.

Norwich quickly improved after suffering the second of those setbacks, yet a four-match streak without success has left the Canaries four points off the pace.

Goals are proving to be an issue for David Wagner's side with just one strike coming in matches with Sunderland, Huddersfield Town, Stoke City and Sheffield United.

While the situation is retrievable at this stage, defeat on Saturday when having played a game more than their nearest rivals could leave Norwich with too much to do.

Team News

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Tomasson is likely to recall Ben Brereton Diaz for this fixture with the Villarreal-bound attacker only named as a substitute last time out.

Callum Brittain and Sorba Thomas may also come into contention on the right-hand side of the pitch, but the rest of the team may stay the same.

Experienced defender Daniel Ayala remains sidelined until the closing weeks of the season with a hamstring injury.

Jacob Sorensen could come back into the Norwich XI, potentially as a replacement for Marquinhos who was used in a central area versus Sheffield United.

Liam Gibbs is another midfielder who may return to the team, but the back four and front three could remain as it was for the narrow defeat to the Yorkshire side.

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:

Pears; Rankin-Costello, Carter, Hyam, Pickering; Travis, Morton; Thomas, Szmodics, Brereton-Diaz; Gallagher

Norwich City possible starting lineup:

Gunn; Aarons, Hanley, Gibson, Giannoulis; Sorensen, McLean, Sara; Sargent, Pukki, Idah

We say: Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Norwich City

Given the inconsistency of both teams, this is a difficult match to call. However, with Rovers no strangers to success over Norwich this season, we are backing them to edge a competitive fixture on home territory.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.