Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City - Match Preview

Despite heroics on Saturday that resulted in Blackburn Rovers's highlight of the season with a historic 3-2 win at Old Trafford coming off the backs of a hard-earned point taken at Anfield, Steve Kean's men still find themselves 19th in the table and staring down the barrel of relegation at the mid-way point of the season. Though for once at least a game at Ewood Park should start off without any chants calling for the manager's head and a big reception should be awaiting him and his team today. Christmas has been good for Kean and it is crucial his team take this joyous period into further positives and start picking up points at home. They have lost five of their last six encounters and they entertain Stoke City today knowing fans will be expecting nothing less than three points to be served up. For Stoke, the Christmas/New Year period has been less kind. They have gone four games without a win but what has kept Tony Pulis and his men always away from the relegation zone is hitting back with a string of good results after periods like this. They are eighth in the league for a reason and Blackburn will have their work cut out for them today.

Team News

Blackburn defender Gael Givet will play after he was given the all-clear after recent corrective surgery on his irregular heartbeat. Kean will also be glad to hear that the important trio of Junior Hoilett, Martin Olsson and David Dunn have recovered from hamstring problems and could be in line to start. Stoke are missing right-back Andy Wilkinson who came off in the second half against Wigan. Cameron Jerome may start.

Line-ups from;

Blackburn (from): Bunn, Samba, Lowe, Hanley, Givet, Nzonzi, Rochina, Pedersen, Petrovic, Dunn, Hoilett, Olsson, Yakubu, Goodwillie, Formica, Roberts, Vukcevic, Slew, Blackman, Henley, Morris, Kean. Stoke (from): Sorensen, Wilkinson, Huth, Shawcross, Wilson, Pennant, Delap, Palacios, Etherington, Crouch, Walters, Begovic, Shotton, Upson, Diao, Jones, Whitehead, Whelan, Woodgate, Fuller.