Preview: Blackburn Rovers vs. Rotherham United

Blackburn Rovers enter their match at home to Rotherham United in the Championship with their hopes of reaching the playoffs hanging by a thread after a crushing defeat at Watford.

Gary Bowyer's side travelled to Vicarage Road to face the side at the bottom of the top six knowing that victory would see them close the gap to just five points, but now they lie 11 adrift of the playoffs following a 1-0 loss.

They had plenty of chances against the Hornets, but came up against a goalkeeper in Heurelho Gomes who was in inspired form and kept them out on several occasions.

Sought-after top-scorer Rudy Gestede was again left on the bench for the fourth league game in a row, but with the transfer window now behind us he will want to make a return to the starting XI.

Defeat in Hertfordshire means that it's just one league win in seven games for Blackburn, but they do have a favourable run of fixtures on the horizon, with four of their next five games at home.

One of those is Saturday afternoon's FA Cup fifth-round tie against Stoke City and Bowyer might have one eye on the tie as a mid-table league finish looks on the cards.

Bowyer will have to ensure that his side do not take relegation-threatened Rotherham lightly, though, with the Millers enjoying one of their best spells of the season.

Steve Evans's men have picked up seven points out of a possible nine from their last three games to pull six clear of the bottom three.

Saturday's 2-0 win over promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town was the pick of the bunch and especially vital as they were the only one of the current bottom 10 to register maximum points on matchday 29.

Jack Hunt has played just 30 minutes of football since joining on loan from Crystal Palace, but he could be in line for his first Millers start after missing the visit of Ipswich.

With the top eight a decent chunk away from everyone else, Rotherham are only six points behind Blackburn in ninth and a top-half finish is a real possibility with 17 games of the season to go.

They also have a strong recent record against Blackburn, winning their last two games against the Lancashire outfit, including a 2-0 triumph in the reverse earlier this term.

However, they have won just one of their last 12 away league games and only two all season.

Blackburn:

Form in Championship: DLDLWL Form in all competitions: LDWLWL

Possible starting lineup: Steele; Lowe, Hanley, Kilgallon, Olsson; Conway, Evans, Spearing, Marshall; Gestede, Rhodes

Rotherham:

Form in Championship: DLLWDW Form in all competitions: LLLWDW

Possible starting lineup: Collin; Richardson, Arnason, Morgan, Fryers; Newton, Green, Smallwood, Pringle; Sammon, Derbyshire

Sports Mole says: 2-1