English Championship: Game Week 34
Stadium: Ewood Park
24th February 2024
Blackburn Rovers will welcome Norwich City at Ewood Park in Game Week 34 of the English Championship. Blackburn are six points off the relegation places while Norwich are aiming for playoff spots. Who will come out on top after 90 minutes?
Blackburn Rovers form
After three games as Blackburn boss, John Eustace is still seeking his first victory for the Lancashire club. He lost to his former team, Birmingham City, in his first match in charge and has since recorded back-to-back draws against local rivals Preston North End and Cardiff City. Despite boasting one of the division's top scorers, Sammie Szmodics, Blackburn were unable to score against Cardiff on Tuesday night. The team currently sits in 16th place in the Championship standings, and their defense has been a major issue, having conceded 59 goals so far this season. Blackburn made moves in the January transfer window, bringing in Ben Chrisene and Yasin Ayari on loan from Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion, respectively.
Blackburn Rovers Predicted Lineup
Pears; Hyam, McFadzean, Wharton; Brittain, Tronstad, Garrett, Chrisene; Dolan, Szmodics, Gallagher
Norwich City form
Norwich has established themselves as strong contenders in the race for a top-six spot in the Championship, earning 10 points from four matches in February. They secured consecutive home wins against Watford and Cardiff, scoring eight goals in total. American Joshua Sargent scored an impressive brace in the victory against Cardiff, with Gabriel Sara and Christian Fassnacht also finding the net.
Manager David Wagner received criticism earlier in the season when Norwich seemed headed for a mid-table finish. However, a run of one loss in their last eight matches has seen Norwich climb to eighth in the league, just three points behind sixth-placed Hull City. To improve their chances of promotion through the playoffs, Norwich must enhance their away form, as they have only gathered 16 points on the road this season.
Despite their pursuit of a top-six finish, Norwich must be wary of Blackburn's strong record at Ewood Park, where they have won five consecutive matches. Norwich last suffered a 2-1 defeat there in February 2015.
Norwich City Predicted Lineup
Gunn; Stacey, Gibson, McLean, McCallum; Nunez, Sara, Hernandez, Barnes, Sainz; Sargent
Blackburn Rovers vs Norwich City Expert Tips
Since joining the club, Eustace has successfully led Blackburn to remain competitive in all three matches. However, the upcoming match against Norwich is expected to be their toughest challenge yet. Norwich has been performing well in scoring goals, and with the return of centre-back Gibson, it seems likely that Wagner's team will have a productive afternoon at Ewood Park.