Rovers Preview: Cardiff City (A)

Blackburn Rovers begin the New Year with a SkyBet Championship match at Cardiff City this afternoon as Blackburn look for a better start to this year than how the last one ended after successive defeats.

Rovers lost a lot of ground over Christmas so if an unlikely play off push is to be achieved in the second half of the season we need to go on a winning run of a dozen matches or so starting with this one at The Cardiff City Stadium.

The last three matches against Cardiff have ended in 1-1 draws with Rovers coming from behind in each of them but we’ve not beaten The Bluebirds in any of the last five matches against them, however, three of these have been drawn.

Cardiff don’t have any injury concerns, however, with just one goal in their last eight matches Russell Slade’s expected to make changes not that they’ll be forced on him.

Paul Lambert’s made it clear he’ll give Fode Koita as long as possible to recover from his injury with Leicester City midfielder Tom Lawrence ready to come in for what could be his final involvement for Rovers with a return to his Premier League club possible. Jason Lowe’s closer to making his comeback but still misses this match.

Cardiff aren’t in good form themselves with Rovers needing a win this afternoon and I’ll say that I think we’ll get it with it a good time for Jordan Rhodes to get among the goals again and score against The Bluebirds for the first time.

I’ll go with a 2-1 Rovers win.