Blackburn Rovers

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West Ham head to Blackburn on Saturday (15:00 GMT) seeking to shore-up their leaky defence and get back to winning ways.

Tuesday night's 2-1 defeat at home to Stoke was a third defeat in four for Rovers, who have slipped to 14th, but Tony Mowbray's men have already beaten leaders Middlesbrough at home and drew at second-placed Wolves.

The Hammers came from 3-0 down at half-time to draw at Cardiff on Wednesday in Scott Parker's first game in charge but have won just two of their past eight games in all competitions, have conceded three times in each of their past three games and could tumble out of the top-10 if results go against them.

• Each of the past five league games between Blackburn and West Ham have been draws, with this their first meeting since May 2011 in the Premier League (1-1).

• West Ham have lost just one of their past 15 league games against Blackburn (W8 D6), and are unbeaten in their past 10 (W5 D5).

• Blackburn have lost their past two league games, last losing more consecutively in March/April 2025 (5).

• New West Ham boss Scott Parker has won all three of his away league games against Blackburn – at no side has he won more on the road in his managerial career.

• Andri Gudjohnsen has scored in each of his past four home league games. The last Blackburn player to score in five in a row at Ewood Park was Ben Brereton in November/December 2021.

We asked for your thoughts following Stoke City's 2-1 win at Blackburn Rovers in the Championship on Tuesday night.

Here are some of your comments:

Blackburn fans

Martin: Perfectly good equalising goal- you have to question why the referee disallowed it!!

Alf: Stoke too quick, too slick and too savvy for Rovers for 80 minutes. Poor ref all game and still don't know why he disallowed the equaliser but a draw would have flattered us. Great away support.

Luke: Played really well. Definitely deserved at least a point. The disallowed goal looked really harsh.

Brian: I have to say I thought it was a poor game overall. A lack of conviction/desire/imagination from both sides and 0-0 would probably have been the expected result, albeit Stoke defended better than Rovers, which wasn't hard to achieve given their two very soft goals. Maybe it's tired legs, but that's being too nice. They all need a kick up the backside! More fight and belief needed.

Will: Rovers played really well most of the game. Keeper has made a howler by being so far out of his net for the miles out free kick. Rovers had another calamity at the back with the own goal but they kept going and it paid off with the first of Gudjohnsen's goals.

The second should have stood. He didn't foul the player, it should have ended 2-2, the ref made the wrong decision. Controversial headlines will begin now as it should instead of a heroic comeback headline. I really hope they play well against West Ham but fear they will get pummelled by them.

Image source, Shutterstock

Stoke fans

Skeppers: A great result again for Stoke. Disappointing to not get a fourth clean sheet and disappointing to see Vik spill one again. But he is still the best GK in the league. Don't know what the BBurn commentators were on about. We didn't buckle at all. We completely controlled that game. BBurn were poor and didn't start playing until the last 5 minutes so they never deserved anything from this game. It was clearly a push on Wilmot by Gudjohnsen. Ref was spot on.

Roy: Ref let almost everything go, which favoured home side, until the 'goal' at the end. To be fair to him, whatever he saw, he saw it straight away. Looked like he blew his whistle before the striker even headed it.

Lee: Must say I feel that we was very lucky for them to their goal disallowed tonight, but it's about time we had a little luck.

Johno: Got away with it after giving the ball away too often. Soft foul at the end but definite push.

Image source, Shutterstock

Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray was left baffled by a disallowed Andri Gudjohnsen goal that cost his side a point at home to Stoke City.

Having pulled one back to make it 2-1 on 87 minutes, Rovers thought they had then levelled when Gudjohnsen powered home a header, only for referee Andrew Kitchen to wipe it out for a mild contact with Stoke defender Ben Wilmot, as Blackburn's three-game winning home run came to an end.

"Having watched it back, the disallowed goal is embarrassing really. The referee gets it hugely wrong," Mowbray told BBC Radio Lancashire. "People come to watch football to see entertainment and goals.

"I can't understand it really. Does he put his hands up? Yes, because the guy is going to back into him, to protect himself and hold him off.

"Is it a forward motion and a push? No. Does the guy throw his arms up in the air?

"What hurts a little bit more is the inconsistency of the officials, I suppose. A few weeks at West Brom, Gudjohnsen gets blatantly pushed with two hands. Play on, they go down the other end, get a penalty, get back to two each and then win the game late on.

"Most of the performance was good enough to have won the game. We've just got to take it on the chin. And they were silly goals to have lost."

The first came just before the break when American midfielder Jack McGlynn tried his luck with a cheeky long-range left-foot free-kick from out on the left touchlineand caught out home keeper Balazs Toth, whose desperate attempt to recover at the near post was in vain, before an unlucky, but avoidable own goal.

"I'd been warning them all week that McGlynn's got a wand of a left foot," added Mowbray ."You've got to cover the goal.

"We played pretty well. We've played probably not as well and won football matches. But, there you go, that's football."

This will be the 108th meeting between Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City in a fixture which dates back to the very first Football League season of 1888-89.

Stoke head to Ewood Park on Tuesday (19:45 GMT) with only the leaders Middlesbrough (14) having taken more than their 13 points in the past six games.

• Blackburn Rovers are winless in their past four league games against Stoke City (D2 L2), with both meetings last season finishing 1-1.

• Stoke City have lost just one of their past 11 away league games against Blackburn Rovers (W6 D4), going down 3-1 in February 2024.

• Blackburn have won each of their past three home league games, as many as across their previous 15 combined (D6 L6). They last won more consecutively at Ewood Park between August and October 2024 (5).

• Following a prior 12-game winless run (D3 L9), Stoke have now won their past three away league games. They last won four in a row on the road in November/December 2005.

• Andri Gudjohnsen has scored in each of his past three home league games. The last Blackburn player to score in four in a row at Ewood Park was Ben Brereton (5 in November/December 2021).

Blackburn Rovers forward Augustus Kargbo is close to returning to their starting line-up after his injury absence, boss Tony Mowbray has said.

Kargbo has come off the bench four times since a hamstring injury kept him out of action for over a year.

"He's almost ready for full selection I think," Mowbray said.

"You can watch him and he does a wonderful thing, he'll travel 60 yards really fast up the pitch off the ball and as I'm watching five minutes later he's still walking back and that's telling me he hasn't got the core fitness really yet to do the job from the start.

Kargbo came on at half-time in Saturday's 4-0 defeat by Swansea as he adds more minutes ahead of a full return.

"I think in the short term he'll start from the bench I would suggest," Mowbray added.

"He's a good option and if he can bring what he did for half an hour or so the other day then that'll be very positive for the team."

Image source, Shutterstock

FC Halifax Town have signed defender Lucas Houghton on a month-long loan deal from Championship side Blackburn Rovers.

The 19-year-old right-back made his debut for Rovers' senior team in their 2-1 defeat by Sheffield United in the Carabao Cup in August.

He joins in time to be available for selection for the Shaymen's home fixture against Yeovil Town on Saturday [12:30 GMT].

Image source, Shutterstock

Blackburn Rovers pair Yuri Ribeiro and Yuki Ohashi will travel with the squad and will be on their bench for their Championship trip to Swansea City on Saturday.

Ribeiro has missed the past month while Ohashi has been out for two months with both suffering from a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, Kristi Montgomery is in line to return having missed last week's win against Wrexham.

"Yuri and Yuki are both going to travel and are both available for the bench, which is good news for us," boss Tony Mowbray told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"Kristi's trained fully so fingers crossed there's no reaction with that."

Meanwhile Mathias Jorgensen is set for a further spell out having suffered a setback from his own hamstring issue earlier this month.

"He's not travelling. I think as well as dealing with the injury, we need to deal with the psychological side with him," Mowbray added.

"We've given him a few days to see his family and recover because it's been a pretty tough journey that he's had.

"Then to break down when he was on the cusp of getting back to full fitness is tough for him.

"Our thoughts are with him at the moment but hopefully it's only another three weeks or something like that and he'll be back on the grass again."

Blackburn Rovers have transformed under Tony Mowbray and are now seeking a spot in the play-offs when they cross the border to Swansea City on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Rovers are currently two points shy of the top eight after winning four of their past six league games (D1 L1).

Opponents Swansea though are hoping they will break out of their rut after two successive defeats to keep their spot in the automatic promotion places - and maybe even regain their place at the very top.

• Swansea City have won five of their last six league games against Blackburn Rovers (L1), conceding just four goals across that time.

• Blackburn Rovers have won just one of their last nine away league games against Swansea City (D1 L7), a 3-0 victory in August 2022.

• Despite losing their last two league games, Swansea have 23 points across their opening 12 Championship matches this season, their most since 2007-08 when they won League One (also 23 points).

• Blackburn have won four of their last six league games (D1 L1), as many as they had in their previous 19 (D7 L8).

• Blackburn's Andri Gudjohnsen has scored six goals in his last six Championship goals, netting a brace in his last two. He also has the highest shot conversion rate of any player to have had at least 10 shots in the division this term (50% - 8 goals from 16 shots).

Blackburn Rovers defender Hayden Carter is hoping he has turned a corner with his fitness after being plagued by injury in recent years.

The 26-year-old has played just 26 Championship games across the past two seasons due to injury struggles but has already featured in eight this campaign.

"I missed a week with a little niggle but I think I've been fit from the first day of pre-season," Carter told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"It was similar last year. I came back and won the fitness test but luck wasn't on my side. Hopefully that has fully changed now and I can stay fit."

Carter was eased back into the side across the opening four matches for Rovers, coming off the bench in two, before making his first start in their fifth game against Millwall.

The defender was in the XI for the following three games until being used as a substitute in their game against West Bromwich Albion.

"The Bristol City game was the first Saturday-Tuesday I've done since March so I wasn't expecting to play West Brom," Carter added.

"That's something I've learned about myself to benefit my team. If I miss one game to save myself from getting injured and missing the next 10, I'm willing to do that. The manager speaks to me regularly about."

Watch the full interview above.

Image source, Shutterstock

If proof was needed that a good old fashioned dressing down from the manager can have the desired effect, Saturday's win over Wrexham was it.

Rovers were far too vulnerable at West Brom, throwing away a two-goal lead and leaving Tony Mowbray with plenty to say afterwards. His criticism of the centre-backs was pointed and public. Their response against the Red Dragons was emphatic.

Rovers were outstanding defensively. Organised, disciplined, uncompromising and determined to keep a first home clean sheet of the season.

Yes, Wrexham had opportunities but failed to take them. The protection of Balazs Toth was so effective that the goalkeeper did not have a single save to make.

What's most impressive is this squad is largely the same group of players that endured such a difficult campaign last season.

Yet the difference is striking.

Confidence is growing, standards are rising and there is an identity to this team that simply wasn't there 12 months ago.

Rovers managed just four home wins in the whole of last season. By the end of October, they have already matched that. That statistic alone tells a story of significant progress.

I've written before about the calming influence Mowbray brings to the club, but his impact is becoming increasingly obvious with every passing week.

This is a manager who has overcome enormous personal challenges in recent years and is now relishing being back where he belongs. His fingerprints are all over this side.

His team selection ended the ever-present records of Ryoya Morishita and Kristi Montgomery through injury, opening the door for Jayden Fevrier and Moussa Baradji. Both seized their opportunity.

Fevrier offers exactly the kind of attacking threat defenders hate facing. Direct and always looking to cut inside, he went close to opening the scoring with a trademark effort.

Baradji, meanwhile, produced his most convincing display in a Rovers shirt. The talent has never been in doubt. The challenge now is to build on it and deliver the same level at Swansea next weekend.

Mowbray certainly believes in him. He said: "We've spent a bit of time with him in the analysis suite talking about discipline because he's got every attribute to be a top, top player.

"He can leap like a salmon, he's fast, he's as strong as an ox, he's got twinkling feet... what can't he do?"

Todd Cantwell and Andri Gudjohnsen will rightly attract plenty of attention after another hugely influential afternoon.

Cantwell is flourishing. Not only is he producing moments of quality, he's also delivering the numbers to match. It was always going to be fascinating to see how the relationship between player and manager developed.

Mowbray has a long history of getting the best from gifted footballers and Cantwell looks to be the latest beneficiary.

Gudjohnsen, meanwhile, continues to enhance his reputation. In commentary, I'm genuinely running out of superlatives.

His first-half finish was the mark of a natural goalscorer, instinctively finding the right space at exactly the right moment. His second was ruthless, putting the game beyond Wrexham after excellent work from Cantwell.

The mood around Rovers is changing.

No one is getting carried away and there is still a long way to go, but there is growing belief both inside and outside the club. The team is improving, the results are following and Ewood Park is becoming a place of optimism once again.

Not so long ago, home matchdays felt like something to endure. Right now, they feel like something to enjoy.

Image source, Opta

Blackburn welcome Wrexham for a meeting between two sides hoping to close the gap to the Championship play-off places on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 15:00 BST).

Rovers, who are 10th and two points off the top eight, lost for the first time in five games last time out - going down 3-2 at West Brom - but had won three of four (D1) before that.

The Red Dragons, who are four places and just one point behind Blackburn, thrashed bottom side Preston 4-1 last weekend for only their third win of the campaign.

Phil Parkinson's side will hope to record back-to-back victories for the first time this season.

• Blackburn Rovers have won just two of their 16 league games against Wrexham (D10 L4), a 2-1 win in August 1971 and a 1-0 win in September 1980.

• Wrexham are unbeaten across their previous seven away league games against Blackburn Rovers (W2 D5), conceding just four goals across that time.

• Blackburn have won both of their past two league games at Ewood Park; Rovers last won three in a row at home in October 2024 (run of five).

• Wrexham have won just one of their past six away league games (D3 L2), while they've conceded in each of their past six league matches home and away. Since the start of 2025-26, they've only had a longer run in December 2025 (run of seven).

• Blackburn's Andri Gudjohnsen leads the Championship this season for the highest positive xG differential (3.8), netting six goals so far from an xG tally of 2.2.

I think if you asked a large section of Blackburn supporters what would represent a good return from three games in a week post the international break, six points would probably have been viewed as more than acceptable.

It could have been more and, equally, it could have been less.

The home victory over Cardiff provided the perfect platform for two away trips. Three more points followed at Bristol City, thanks largely to a goalkeeping masterclass from Balazs Toth and, after just 12 minutes at The Hawthorns on Saturday, everything seemed to be falling into place very nicely.

Andri Gudjohnsen is fit, firing and full of confidence, and long may it continue. His switch to the number nine shirt during the summer only adds to the appeal for those who appreciate a traditional centre-forward.

Both his finishes brough back memories of Alan Shearer - the first a stunning strike from outside the penalty area and the second highlighted the kind of instincts that goalscorers thrive on. West Brom failed to clear a corner and, as the ball dropped, there was only one player you wanted it to fall to.

Image source, Shutterstock

Only seven teams have scored more league goals than Rovers so far, while just nine have conceded more. The 16 goals conceded in 11 games have undoubtedly slowed their progress, particularly where they have been unable to protect a lead.

They have led away at Wolves and Portsmouth but ultimately had to settle for a point. They have also been in front against Sheffield United, QPR and, now, West Brom but lost all three.

The goals conceded against Wolves, Sheffield United, Portsmouth, Cardiff and West Brom all shared a similar theme. The opposition were allowed too much time and space in central areas, either just inside or outside the penalty area, and they made Rovers pay.

In fairness, West Brom deserved their victory. They responded impressively after falling two goals behind but this is far from a disaster.

Rovers have made a bright start to the season and there is plenty to be encouraged by. The disappointment comes from the fact that 13 points have slipped away from those winning positions.

We have seen both a back four and a back five used so far, although Tony Mowbray's preferred system is definitely a four. In the next fortnight, left-back Yuri Ribeiro and centre-back Scott Wharton are expected to push for starting places, increasing competition across the defensive unit.

Mowbray has never been afraid to make difficult selection decisions and leave good players out. It is one of the realities of managing a competitive squad. Time will tell who he feels is best placed to make those starting spots their own.

The ankle injury to Ryoya Morishita added further disappointment to the late defeat. His ever-present record looks likely to come to an end against Wrexham on Saturday.

Should he be unavailable, it would mean five senior players are currently sidelined which, compared with recent seasons, still represents a relatively healthy position.

Charlotte Richardson
Final Score reporter at The Hawthorns

Image source, Getty Images

What a breathless and brilliant contest at The Hawthorns.

James Morrison has built belief and a brand of football that means despite being two goals down after just 12 minutes, home supporters sensed a comeback could be possible.

To come back and win all three points? Well, the noise when the full-time whistle was blown suggests this is a victory supporters will savour for the rest of their week, not just their weekend.

It is hard to remain positive and aggressive when you are trailing but West Brom were brave and defiant, earning their reward with back-to-back victories for a third time this season.

Rovers will be disappointed with their game management. The visitors had lost two of their 10 league games on the road prior to this. A sore defeat especially after such a bright start.

Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray spoke to BBC Radio Lancashire after their loss against West Bromwich Albion.

For a written selection of his quotes, click here.