Two sides that have made solid starts to the 2022-23 Championship campaign will lock horns on Tuesday evening, as Blackburn Rovers welcome Watford to Ewood Park.
Blackburn are currently seventh in the table, boasting 12 points from their opening eight matches, while Watford are sixth, one point ahead of their opponents in this contest.
Match preview
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Blackburn were eighth in the Championship last season, just six points outside the playoffs, and they will be expecting to challenge high up the division once again this term.
Jon Dahl Tomasson's side started the season with three straight wins over Queens Park Rangers, Swansea City and West Bromwich Albion, but they then lost their next three against Reading, Sheffield United and Stoke City.
Rovers returned to winning ways against Blackpool at the end of August but were beaten 3-2 at home by Bristol City on September 3, so a record of four wins and four defeats from eight matches has brought them 12 points, which is enough for eighth spot, just one point off the top six.
Blackburn were due to face Wigan Athletic in the league on Saturday, but the contest was postponed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Rovers, who have not been in the Premier League since 2011-12, have lost their last three Championship matches against Watford, while they have not overcome the Hornets in any competition since October 2013.
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Watford were relegated from last season's Premier League courtesy of their 19th-place finish, but they are among the favourites for the promotion spots in the Championship this term.
The Hornets have won three, drawn four and lost one of their eight league games this season to collect 13 points, which has left them in sixth position in the table, four points off leaders Sheffield United.
Rob Edwards's side, who were due to face Reading in the league on Saturday, lost 3-2 at home to QPR on August 27 before recording a 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough three days later.
Watford were held to a 1-1 draw by Rotherham United in their last game on September 3, though, and they are yet to truly find their rhythm in the early stages of this season.
The Hertfordshire side, as mentioned, have a strong recent record against Blackburn, including a 3-2 victory when the two sides last met at Ewood Park in February 2021.
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Team News
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Blackburn will again be missing four players for Tuesday's contest, with Scott Wharton, Sammie Szmodics, Callum Brittain and Sam Gallagher out through injury.
Tomasson is likely to make changes from the side that took to the feld against Bristol City last time out, with John Buckley and Tyrhys Dolan among those in line for starts.
Ben Brereton Diaz is the team's leading goalscorer in the Championship this season with four, and the 23-year-old will again feature in the final third of the field, while Clinton Mola could debut in midfield.
As for Watford, Rey Manaj, Imran Louza, Samuel Kalu, Tom Dele-Bashiru and Tom Cleverley are all expected to miss the contest on Tuesday night.
Head coach Edwards will consider changes from the draw at Rotherham last time out, with Keinan Davis potentially coming in for a start in the final third of the field.
Davis's possible introduction would see Joao Pedro move into a slightly deeper position, with Yaser Asprilla potentially the player to drop out in the middle of midfield.
Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:
Kaminski; Travis, Hyam, Carter, Pickering; Mola, Buckley; Hedges, Dack, Brereton; Dolan
Watford possible starting lineup:
Bachmann; Cathcart, Kabasele, Hause; Kamara, Choudhury, Kayembe, Sema; Pedro; Davis, Bayo
We say: Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Watford
Blackburn are yet to draw in the Championship this season, but Watford have shared the points on four occasions, and we can see a low-scoring draw here. Both managers would be relatively content with a point on Tuesday evening, and a tight match could ultimately finish 1-1.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
