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Blackburn Rovers will welcome Rotherham United to Ewood Park in their first match of 2024 in the EFL Championship on Monday.
The hosts have recently seen a drop in form, suffering four defeats on the spin. They met Hull City in their away game on Friday, falling to a 3-2 defeat. Sammie Szmodics and Harry Pickering scored in the first half to help them come back from two goals down but Alfie Jones bagged the match-winner for Hull in the 63rd minute.
Dominic Hyam was sent off in the 74th minute after his second booking of the match and will serve a suspension in this match. They are currently in 15th place in the league standings, with just three points separating them from 20th-placed Birmingham City.
The visitors are unbeaten in their last two league outings. After a 1-0 home win over Middlesbrough on Tuesday, they held Sunderland to a 1-1 draw on Friday. Samuel Raymond Clucas opened the scoring in the 48th minute and Jack Clarke pulled Sunderland level in the 73rd minute.
Blackburn Rovers vs Rotherham United Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two teams will meet for the 50th time across all competitions. The hosts have the upper hand in the head-to-head record, with twice the number of wins (26) as the visitors (13) while 10 games have ended in draws.
- Both teams registered home wins in their league meeting last season and kept clean sheets in these wins as well. They met in the reverse fixture in August, playing a 2-2 draw.
- Blackburn Rovers are unbeaten in their last 11 home meetings against the visitors, recording 10 wins.
- Rotherham United are winless in away games across all competitions this term. Their winless run in travels in the Championship stretches to 25 games, with their last away win coming in November 2022.
Blackburn Rovers vs Rotherham United Prediction
The Riversiders have suffered four defeats on the spin, conceding 12 goals while scoring just three goals in that period. Interestingly, they have lost six of their last seven league games, with their only win in that period coming at home earlier this month against Bristol City.
Aynsley Pears, Joe Rankin-Costello, Sam Barnes, Sam Gallagher, Tyrhys Dolan, and Ryan Hedges remain sidelined through injuries for head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson. Scott Wharton is also unlikely to start following a calf injury against Watford.
The Millers recorded their first win since October against Middlesbrough and continued that form with a 1-1 draw on Friday. They have failed to score in seven of their last 10 away games this season, which is a cause for concern. They have won just one of their last 22 away meetings against the Rovers, suffering 19 defeats.
Head coach Leam Richardson also has a lengthy absentee list as Fred Onyedinma, Tyler Blackett, Lee Peltier, Grant Hall, Cameron Humphreys, Shane Ferguson, and Andre Green are injured.
Considering the current form of the two teams and goalscoring struggles, a low-scoring draw might ensue.
Prediction: Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Rotherham United
Blackburn Rovers vs Rotherham United Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Draw
Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Under 2.5 goals
Tip 3: At least a goal to be scored in the second half - Yes
Tip 4: Sammie Szmodics to score or assist any time - Yes
