Stoke City vs Blackburn Rovers
30th November 1500hrs
Football – England – Championship
Pick Both teams to score
Bookmaker Betfred
Odds: 10/11 odds taken 2000 GMT, Friday 29 November)
Stoke are looking to bounce back from defeat last time out in their bid to move out the relegation zone. Opponents Blackburn are in good form, however, and looking to close in on the team’s above them for a surprise playoff push.
English Championship Betting at Betfred
Stoke City vs Blackburn Rovers Live Stats & Betting Odds
Stoke City Preview – Can Stoke respond from midweek defeat to Cardiff and make it three wins from four?
The Stoke owners felt they needed to act in order to help the club to safety and that seen them relieve Nathan Jones of his duties to replace him with Michael O’Neill who has worked wonders with Northern Ireland. O’Neill is going to remain in charge of his country for the time being but his immediate focus is to guide Stoke out the relegation zone they have been occupants of for much of the season. There has been an immediate reaction to that change of manager with back-to-back wins over Barnsley and Wigan – the two teams who they sit between in the table heading into this weekend. Stoke were unable to make that three wins in a row, however, going down 1-0 to Cardiff on Tuesday.
O’Neill will be looking to see how his players respond to that first defeat of his tenure. A win could take them level on points with Luton and Middlesbrough who are the two teams directly above them and on the cusp of moving out of the bottom three for the first time in a long time.
Blackburn Rovers Preview – Will Rovers record their third straight win and keep tabs with the top six and a potential playoff spot?
It was a very comfortable mid-table finish for Blackburn last season and Tony Mowbray’s men are looking as though they are keen to match that if not better it this time around. Wednesday’s win at home to Brentford was their third in four matches and third straight at home. Those points have seen them move up in the league and to within six points of the playoff spots. That may well be a touch unrealistic but considering the league is looking incredibly even this season, it would be foolish to rule them out completely for challenging for the top six.
If Rovers are to continue closing on the teams above them then they are going to have to try and pick up more points on the road. Their eight away games so far have returned just two victories, losing the other six. Playing teams away from home in the relegation zone and fighting for their lives is never going to be easy but Mowbray will feel it’s an opportunity to pick up a first away win since September.
Key-Facts – Stoke City vs Blackburn Rovers
- Michael O’Neill won his first two games in charge of Stoke but suffered defeat for the first time at the hands of Cardiff on Tuesday
- Tony Mowbray’s Blackburn are quietly going about their business but are now just six points off the playoff spots following two wins
- Stoke know that a win on Saturday could take them level on points with a couple of teams who are immediately outside the relegation zone
Stoke City vs Blackburn Rovers Betting Advice
It’s something of a cliche but the Championship is looking more competitive than ever this season. Whilst Blackburn will be harbouring hopes of an unlikely playoff spot following two wins, Stoke can actually move to within seven points of their opponents which – considering all their troubles so far this season – is not a hugely significant margin.
For all Blackburn have struggled for wins on the road they face a Stoke team who have similar problems picking up wins at home. It’s just two wins in nine home games, losing six of them. This could be a game which features goals. Both teams have scored in 10 of Stoke’s 18 league games and the same in six of Blackburn’s last eight whilst it would have been a winner in five of the last six meetings of these two clubs.
