Preview: Blackburn Rovers vs. Stoke City

Mark Hughes faces another one of his former clubs on Saturday when Stoke City travel to Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup last 16.

The Welshman endured an unhappy reunion with Manchester City in midweek as the English champions thrashed his side 4-1 at the Britannia Stadium.

It was only Stoke's second defeat in 10 matches in all competitions though, and they remain in the top half of the Premier League table.

This safe mid-table security allows the Potters to have a real go at cup glory this season, and so far the draw has been kind to them.

Having avoided giant-killings against non-League Wrexham and League One Rochdale, a trip to Championship playoff hopefuls Blackburn is their biggest banana skin yet.

Hughes will arguably have fonder memories of his time at Ewood Park, where he also spent two years as a player, than he will of his Eastlands experience.

It was with Rovers that he really built his reputation in management, taking a struggling side to Europe via consecutive top-seven Premier League finishes and a first FA Cup semi-final in 40 years.

Gary Bowyer is the man in charge of the Lancashire outfit these days and is trying to return them to the promised land, although inconsistency is threatening to delay those hopes by at least another campaign.

Blackburn have failed to record successive wins since November and have dropped 10 points off the playoff race. They showed what they are capable of by beating top-flight Swansea City in round three and also won in midweek as Jordan Rhodes struck late to down Rotherham United.

Rudy Gestede should be recalled to partner Rhodes in one of two changes for the hosts. The striker and Ben Marshall were both rested in midweek, but should return in place of Chris Brown and cup-tied loanee Jay Spearing.

Hughes has a mounting injury list to contend with and is particularly short in defence, where captain Ryan Shawcross, Marc Wilson and Erik Pieters are all expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the month.

The back four then should be unchanged from the one which leaked four on Wednesday, but behind them Jack Butland may get the nod over Asmir Begovic, having played in both previous rounds of the cup this term.

Jonathan Walters is back from illness, but should not come back in at the expense of Peter Crouch, who has two goals in two games. Marko Arnautovic is a doubt with a foot injury and may be left out instead.

Star man Bojan, Stephen Ireland and Peter Odemwingie are definitely missing for the visitors, who have won their last five games against Rovers and only conceded two goals in the process.

Blackburn:

Form in FA Cup: DLDLWW Form in all competitions: DWLWLW

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

Stoke:

Form in FA Cup: DLWLWW Form in all competitions: LWWWDL

Possible starting lineup: Butland; Cameron, Wollscheid, Muniesa, Bardsley; N'Zonzi, Whelan; Moses, Adam, Walters; Crouch

Sports Mole says: 1-1