Blackburn Rovers v Burnley: Preview, Odds, Predictions (April 25)
Initial Thoughts
Burnley and Blackburn have both seen a drop off in form in recent matches, with Kompany’s team on the slide after securing automatic promotion and Rovers losing ground in their hunt for the playoff places.
Blackburn need these points more, but Burnley could claim the title with a first win in three matches at Ewood Park on Tuesday.
The Narrative
The Championship is cruel, and the playoff run-in is even crueler. Second tier sides can kill it all season, only to trail off at the business end of the campaign and see a chance of Premier League football go up in smoke when it matters most.
Blackburn Rovers are adhering to the script pretty closely in 2023, with Jon Dahl Tomasson having occupied a top three spot for 13 weeks this season, but now sliding down the table as the run-in gathers pace.
After a 4-0 defeat away to Rotherham in late January, Blackburn went on an eight game unbeaten run that culminated in four straight wins against Swansea, Blackpool, QPR and high-flying Sheffield United.
That winning streak left Rovers 5th in the table and looking all but certain of a playoff place come the end of the season.
But since then Tomasson’s side have been in steep decline, with just one victory in their last seven matches. And they’re winless in six after back to back defeats against Birmingham and Norwich City, and draws against Coventry, Huddersfield, Hull and Preston.
To have handed points to other playoff-chasing sides is bad enough, but the manner of their last two draws is even worse.
Rovers conceded a 95th minute equalizer to share the points with Coventry in midweek, only to give away a 94th minute own goal to draw against Preston on the weekend.
Tomasson’s side badly need to put three points on the board, and a visit from already promoted Burnley could be just what Blackburn need to get their top flight ambitions back on track.
Nuts and Bolts
Since guaranteeing automatic promotion to the Premier League, Vincent Kompany’s Burnley have gone from heroes to zeros.
The Clarets are winless in their last three matches, and suffered a first home defeat of the campaign in a 2-1 loss to Queens Park Rangers on the weekend.
That disappointing run means Kompany’s side can no longer set a new points record in the league, but they can confirm their title as Champions with a win at Ewood Park on Tuesday.
The East Lancashire derby, or El Lanclasico, is 1-0 in Burnley’s favor this season, after Kompany’s ran out 3-0 winners when these sides last met back in November.
But Blackburns push for the playoff places and Burnley’s inevitable post-promotion decline puts a very different slant on this fixture.
Rovers have lost only once in their last eight home matches and they’d be coming into this match seeking a third win in a row were it not for conceded injury time equalizers in their last two outings.
Homestand Picks
All odds courtesy of Northstar Bets
Blackburn Rovers moneyline (+245)
Burnley have already secured promotion and have taken their foot of the gas. Rovers need every point they can get in their hunt for the playoff places.
Rovers have found the net in five of the last seven fixtures at home. Burnley scored three when these sides last met, and Kompany’s side have found the net in three of the last four fixtures on the road.
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