Blackburn Rovers vs Leeds United Prediction: Leeds need to win convincingly

Blackburn Rovers will welcome Leeds United at Ewood Park in Game Week 20 of the English Championship. The two teams are in hunt of promotion and need a win going into the festive period. Who will come out on top after 90 minutes?

Leeds have not always been as strong as Daniel Farke may have expected in recent weeks, as they have only managed to keep one clean sheet in nine matches. The only game in which they did manage to shut out their opponents was against league leaders Leicester City. However, despite this lack of defensive prowess, Leeds have still managed to collect 16 out of a possible 18 points. Their only setback during a six-game unbeaten run came in a 1-1 draw against Rotherham United. Nevertheless, they have bounced back with victories over Swansea City and Middlesbrough. The win against Middlesbrough was particularly chaotic, with three goals scored within the first seven minutes of the match. However, Boro's red card shortly after the hour mark helped Leeds secure a 3-2 win. As a result, they are currently seven points behind second-placed Ipswich Town. However, Farke is aware that their away form needs improvement, as they have lost three out of their nine away fixtures this season. Assuming there are no fitness concerns, Farke is expected to stick with the same Leeds XI that started the match against Middlesbrough. While Wilfried Gnonto could replace Daniel James on the right flank, it is expected that James will retain his position, with players like Stuart Dallas and Junior Firpo still unavailable. 

Meslier; Gray, Rodon, Struijk, Byram; Ampadu, Kamara; James, Piroe, Summerville; Rutter

This weekend, they face Blackburn, who have lost five out of their nine home games at Ewood Park. Despite this, Blackburn are currently in seventh place, with nine wins and one draw. They have also recently won three out of their last five games, defeating Stoke City and Birmingham City before losing to Sheffield Wednesday in their most recent match. A win at Hillsborough would have placed Blackburn in the playoff positions, proving that they are not far from being contenders in the promotion race.

The expectation is that Lewis Travis, who has served a suspension, will return to the Blackburn starting lineup in some capacity. It is possible that he will play at right-back, with James Hill moving inside and Scott Wharton becoming a substitute. Due to Blackburn's injury problems, it is likely that the rest of the team will remain unchanged for this game. 

Wahlstedt; Travis, Hill, Carter, Pickering; A.Wharton, Tronstad; Moran, Szmodics, Brittain; Leonard

This match promises to be an intriguing contest, as Blackburn has shown the ability to both win and lose against any team in this league. However, we believe that Leeds' superior quality will ultimately prevail, possibly with a late goal. Expect both teams to be on the scoresheet in this game.