Preview: Blackburn Rovers vs. Watford

Watford will look to continue their strong start to the Championship season when they take on Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Saturday.

The Hornets have amassed an impressive 16 points from their opening eight matches, with their good early-season form continuing under new boss Oscar Garcia.

Results over the last fortnight have not exactly blown the rest of the league away, with defeat to Charlton Athletic being followed by a narrow win over Blackpool and a draw with Bournemouth, but they have now lost just once in their last six league outings and look poised to make a real playoff push this season.

It has been a kind start to the campaign for the club, however, and Saturday's match at Ewood Park will be their stiffest test yet under Garcia.

The Spaniard is expected to return to the dugout this weekend, having been released from hospital on Sunday after initially being admitted due to minor chest pains.

Watford will, however, be without Gabriel Tamas for a prolonged spell after the defender ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament during the 1-1 draw with Bournemouth.

Blackburn, meanwhile, have been plagued by the same sort of inconsistency that prevented them from launching a playoff challenge last season.

Gary Bowyer's side have alternated between victories and defeats since their opening-day draw with Cardiff City and come into this match on the back of a 1-0 win away to struggling Fulham.

Should they pick up all three points this weekend then it would be the first time that they have recorded back-to-back victories since the tail end of the last campaign.

It is the same old story in front of their own fans as well, with two wins, a draw and two defeats from their five home outings in all competitions this season.

Bowyer is able to name an unchanged side to the one that beat Fulham last time out, with in-form striking duo Jordan Rhodes and Rudy Gestede once again leading the line.

Recent form

Blackburn: WLWLWL

Watford: DWLWLW

Possible starting lineups

Blackburn: Steele; Baptiste, Hanley, Duffy, Olsson; Cairney, Williamson, Evans, Marshall; Gestede, Rhodes

Watford: Gomes; Paredes, Ekstrand, Cathcart, Pudil; Murray, Tozser, Abdi; Anya, Vydra, Dyer

Sports Mole says: 1-1