Preview: Blackburn Rovers vs Wrexham - prediction, team news, lineups

Wrexham’s push for the Championship playoffs will continue on Thursday when they travel to Ewood Park to face Blackburn Rovers.

The visitors currently occupy 11th, only four points off sixth place, while Rovers are 19th in the division and will be looking over their shoulder as they are five points clear of the relegation zone.

Match preview

Wrexham could sign off a fine festive week in the Championship with a third straight win, after beating Sheffield United 5-3 on Boxing Day, before a 2-1 victory over Preston North End three days later.

While these two consecutive victories across this festive period have not seen the Welsh side climb the table positionally, they have kept them in the hunt for the playoffs, as they lie only four points off Watford, who occupy sixth.

A triumph for Phil Parkinson’s side would see them end a 59-year wait for a victory on New Year’s Day in the EFL, their last coming in 1966 when they beat Lincoln City 2-0.

The Red Dragons will be confident they can achieve this, as they have lost only one of their last 14 fixtures with Blackburn, although 10 of those have ended level, including the reverse fixture this season when the pair drew 1-1 in Wales.

Valerien Ismael’s side are unbeaten in their last three Championship fixtures, keeping a clean sheet in each game as they beat Millwall 2-0 before two stalemates away from home with Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday.

This unbeaten run has helped the Lancashire club keep a relegation battle at arm’s length, as they currently sit five points clear of Oxford United in 22nd.

However, Blackburn must improve their home form if they are not to be involved in a battle for survival at the end of the campaign, as they have only won two games at Ewood Park to this point in the season.

This will be the first time Blackburn have welcomed Wrexham to Lancashire in a league fixture since October 1981, with neither side capable of finding a winner as it ended 0-0.

Rovers will take confidence from their New Year's Day record heading into this match, as they have only lost one of their last eight league games played on this date.

Blackburn Rovers Championship form:

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Wrexham Championship form:

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Team News

Blackburn will still be without Ryan Alebiosu due to his involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria, while Hayden Carter, Adam Forshaw, Andri Gudjohnsen, Augustus Kargbo, Kristi Montgomery and Scott Wharton are again set to miss out through injury.

The absence of Gudjohnsen has been telling so far, as Rovers have failed to score in their last two fixtures; the Icelandic international has missed both through injury.

Axel Henriksson has deputised in Gudjohnsen’s place; however, the Swede has yet to score a Championship goal in his 14 second-tier games this campaign.

Wrexham have been in fine form in attack this festive period, netting seven goals in their last two fixtures, but Kieffer Moore is a slight doubt after picking up an injury against Preston.

The Welsh club will hope to see Josh Windass continue his fine New Year’s Day record, scoring four goals in his last four EFL appearances on this date.

Midfielder Andy Cannon is not scheduled to return until April due to a knee injury, and due to the fine form of the midfield partnership of Matty James and Ben Sheaf, expect them to continue in the engine room.

Former Rovers player Dominic Hyam is expected to be at the heart of their back three, joined by Max Cleworth and Callum Doyle, given defenders Aaron James and Lewis Brunt have been ruled out.

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:

Pears; Miller, McLoughlin, Pratt; Litherland, Tronstad, Baradji, Hedges; Cantwell; Ohashi, Henriksson

Wrexham possible starting lineup:

Okonkwo; Cleworth, Hyam, Doyle; Longman, James, Sheaf, Thomason; Windass, Moore, Broadhead

We say: Blackburn Rovers 0-1 Wrexham

Blackburn’s limited threat in their forward ranks could prove costly, especially as they may struggle to keep visitors out.

Wrexham should take confidence from the fact the former Premier League winners have struggled at home this campaign, and their firepower should be too much for Rovers, despite how resolute the hosts have been in recent fixtures.

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