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

Portsmouth return from the international break with a trip to Ewood Park for Saturday's Championship clash with Blackburn Rovers.

The hosts are currently sitting in ninth place in the Championship table, while the visitors are languishing in 23rd position.

Match preview

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Blackburn are three points adrift of the playoffs after winning six, drawing four and losing five of their 15 matches this season.

Rovers would have been relieved to take maximum points from their outing against Cardiff City before the international break after they had endured a four-game winless run where they failed to score a single goal (D1, L3).

Andreas Weimann scored a brace alongside a Lewis Baker effort to secure a 3-2 victory in the Welsh capital, with the result ending Blackburn's wait for their first away win of the Championship season.

John Eustace's side will have home advantage for their first game back from the international break, with the hosts looking to claim their first home win since October 19 after taking just one point from their last three matches at Ewood Park.

Blackburn have not faced Portsmouth since October 2018, but they may still take confidence from the fact that they have won four of their previous five head-to-head meetings (D1).

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Portsmouth also went into the international break in a positive mood after they beat Preston North End 3-1 to clinch their first home win of the season.

Josh Murphy and Conor Ogilvie grabbed a goal apiece to give Pompey a two-goal cushion at the break, Emil Riis pulled a goal back in the opening stages of the second period.

Colby Bishop then came off the bench to make his surprise return following heart surgery, with the striker netting a late penalty to seal Pompey's second win of the Championship season.

John Mousinho will hope that result can kick-start a promising run of form as his relegation-threatened side look to close the three-point gap to safety.

If they are to claim all three points this weekend, Portsmouth will have to beat Blackburn for the first time since recording a 3-2 home victory in a Premier League fixture back in November 2008.

Team News

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Eustace has revealed that Arnor Sigurdsson remains unavailable for selection after the Blackburn attacker suffered a fresh injury setback in training.

Balazs Toth will have to be assessed after he picked up a knock on international duty, but Amario Cozier-Duberry and Owen Beck have been passed fit to feature in Saturday's squad.

Tyrhys Dolan will also be available for selection, having served a one-match suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards.

As for the visitors, centre-back Conor Shaughnessy will miss the rest of 2024 after picking up another calf injury.

Jordan Williams is expected to be out for another four weeks, while Mousinho is also without the services of long-term absentee Ibane Bowat.

Zak Swanson and Jacob Farrell are closing in on a return to fitness, but it remains to be seen whether they will be fit enough to feature in Saturday's squad.

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup: Pears; Brittain, Batth, Hyam, Pickering; Tronstad, Travis; Weimann, Cantwell, Hedges; Ohashi

Portsmouth possible starting lineup: Schmid; Devilin, Poole, Pack, Ogilvie; Potts, Dozzell; Ritchie, Lang, Murphy; Yengi

We say: Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Portsmouth

Pompey may have experienced success in their home game against Preston before the international break, but they have lost four of their previous six away matches, and with that in mind, we think that they may fall just short in Saturday's clash with Blackburn.

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