Blackburn Rovers

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Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Alebiosu's injury kept him out of Nigeria's last-16 win at the Africa Cup of Nations and could sideline him for the remainder of the tournament.

The 24-year-old made his senior international debut for the Super Eagles in their opening 3-1 victory over Uganda but suffered a deep cut to his right leg which kept him on the bench for the subsequent group wins over Tunisia and Tanzania.

Nigeria beat Mozambique 4-0 in Fes on Monday night to reach the quarter-finals but Alebiosu was not part of the squad.

The Super Eagles will now play either Algeria or DR Congo in the last eight on Saturday (16:00 GMT).

Blackburn Rovers are interested in a loan deal for Brighton's former Republic of Ireland Under-21 defender Eiran Cashin, with the 24-year-old only making 11 Championship appearances during his current loan spell with Birmingham City this season. (Alan Nixon - subscription required), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Monday's gossip column here.

Blackburn Rovers boss Valerian Ismael spoke to BBC Radio Lancashire after his side's 2-2 draw with Charlton Athletic.

On Moussa Baradji: "We knew that we've got a special player with him, [that's] why we took the risk with him in the summer because we knew that he's worth it.

"I'm just pleased that he was able to, since he came back, have 100% ability in the training session and the game.

"So we built him up for the game [for] one month and he works well. You see clearly now he's going up and up.

"I'm pleased now he has time to recover properly, it will be good for him to have a breather to Ipswich in the next Championship game."

On status of winger Ryan Hedges' injury: "Yes it's a very serious injury. So he has a fracture from the fibula, so he will have surgery."

Blackburn have now won just one of their past nine Championship games (D5 L3) following the 2-0 home defeat to Wrexham on New Year's Day.

Rovers head coach Valerien Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It's another setback in terms of the result. I can't complain about the boys, they tried to go again, it was just a lack of energy today.

"We lost the game in the first half. We conceded the first goal, we can avoid it. The second goal is a great shot.

"We tried to find some energy for the second half and it was much better. We lost two players again today, and it's clear we've touched the limit with the squad."

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Blackburn will look to move further clear of the Championship relegation zone when they welcome a Wrexham side with the play-offs in their sights on New Year's Day (12:30 GMT kick-off).

Rovers are five points clear of the drop zone with a game in hand on 22nd-placed Oxford United and have lost just one of their past seven matches, albeit only one of those was a victory (D5).

Wrexham have won two on the bounce and are four points off the top six, with a chance to move within one point before other teams play later in the day on 1 January.

• This will be the first time Blackburn are hosting Wrexham at Ewood Park in a league fixture since October 1981, a 0-0 draw under Bobby Saxton.

• Wrexham have lost only one of their past 14 league meetings with Blackburn Rovers, though 10 of those have ended level (W3), including the reverse meeting this season in Wales (1-1).

• Blackburn Rovers have only lost one of their past eight league games played on New Year's Day (W4 D3), drawing 1-1 last year at Elland Road against Leeds United, despite going 1-0 behind in the 88th minute.

• Wrexham have failed to win any of their previous eight away games in the EFL played on New Year's Day (D2 L6), since a 2-0 win at Lincoln City in the fourth tier in 1966.

• Wrexham's Josh Windass has scored four goals across his past four EFL appearances on New Year's Day, netting a double for Wigan v Birmingham in 2020 and for Sheffield Wednesday against Hull and Derby in 2024 and 2025 respectively.

Adam Cottier
BBC Radio 5 Live

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Back in May, Blackburn Rovers were a fraction away from finishing in the Championship play-off places.

Fast forward to the end of 2025 and they are running on empty, fractured by a long injury list and the residual effects of a baffling and chaotic summer transfer window. The year ended for them with a limp display away to Sheffield Wednesday.

Rovers are short of quality and the head coach appears to know it.

They lack enough attacking potency or enough players who have proved they are good enough at Championship level.

Rovers have some players who are consistently capable but not enough to make significant progress - so much of that appears to rest with botched recruitment and player sales.

The only positives from a grim night on the road at the division's bottom club were a third successive clean sheet and academy graduates Matthew Litherland and George Pratt once again giving accomplished displays.

But they stand out in a team without its top goalscorer Andri Gudjohnsen for several weeks, and one that does not feature striker Makhtar Gueye at all - fully fit but left out completely in favour of players making the bench who were unheard of until winter began.

Gueye does not run enough in training to warrant a place in the squad according to Rovers boss Valerien Ismael, who really did not hold back when asked about the Senegalese player.

It is rather damning for a player who, despite being limited in top level ability, has managed six league goals in his time at the club and is certainly more experienced than a teenage forward on Ismael's bench.

Then there is Axel Henriksson. He was signed on a four-year deal in the summer, but is struggling.

The midfielder was deployed as a striker again at Hillsborough and looked way off the pace, letting his team down in attacking situations on numerous occasions.

It provided another reason as to why Gueye's omission was in sharp focus in the post-match debrief with the head coach on BBC Radio Lancashire.

All that inevitably led to questions about what the club plans to do to rectify the matter of goalscoring and the abject performance against a makeshift and vulnerable Sheffield Wednesday.

Only two sides have scored fewer times than Rovers in the Championship at this halfway stage.

Regardless of how long Gudjohnsen is out for, they must find at least another forward to ease the burden.

That means either spending serious money or making smart moves in the loan market.

There have been occasions where Rovers have produced good performances this season - in their five away wins, in particular.

But you need a deeper squad in terms of quality to sustain it on a regular basis and, at least, avoid a messy relegation battle.

January is an important month for Blackburn Rovers, 15 years since the takeover by owners Venky's, who continue to bear the brunt of fan frustration.

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Blackburn Rovers manager Valerien Ismael was left frustrated by his side's inability to convert any of their chances in a 0-0 draw at Sheffield Wednesday.

Despite dominating possession, Rovers were held to a second successive stalemate after holding Middlesbrough on Boxing Day.

Ismael was not happy with the way his side performed after a strong start.

"We started the game well, we created chances but the quality in the last pass [wasn't there]," he told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"After that we lost control because we were too sloppy, we let Wednesday back in the game.

"The only thing I can complain about is we are not hitting the target. We put ourselves in positions to create chances but it is something we must work on.

"We missed the goal to help us but on the other hand we take the positives; we are solid."

Ismael is taking the positives from a strong defensive performance but says the next game against Wrexham is crucial.

"It is three clean sheets in a row now. It is pressure on the next game against Wrexham; win it and it is a great run, lose and it is tough.

"We are focussed; we can be pleased with two clean sheets in away games but we should have scored."

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Blackburn boss Valerien Ismael was delighted with Rovers' goalless draw against promotion-chasing Middlesbrough as they extended their unbeaten run at the Riverside Stadium to 12 games.

Ismael was pleased with how his side snuffed out Boro's goal threat and felt they should have scored.

He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "I think it was a great away game. It was as expected, a tough away game at Middlesbrough and I think they're maybe the best team we have faced this season.

"I think we managed the first half well. They had some good situations, we had some luck, but we defended well. We knew we had to stick to the process to grow throughout the game. We had some great chances to score in the first half and I think we should have taken at least one.

"The second half was brilliant, how we got control of the game. Our pressing was much better and we just needed some quality in the final third. We should have scored one goal at least to get our reward, but apart from that it was a very solid away performance and a second clean sheet in a row for us."

Rob Heckingbottom
Blackburn Rovers fan writer

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When things are not going well frustrations bubble to the surface at Ewood Park.

The past few weeks have been tough - another abandonment, another defeat on the road at Portsmouth and it is clear from the Blackburn Rovers Coalition and the wider fanbase that concerns about the club are growing.

Walking into the ground for the Millwall game on Saturday carried a sense of unease. It felt like things could sour just in time for Christmas.

Naming 20-year-old Matt Litherland for his first senior start sent a strong message, but thankfully not a costly one. Matt didn't look out of place, and from the first whistle Rovers were on the front foot. Within three minutes a neat link-up involving Ryoya Morishita saw Matt's shot parried into the path of Andri Gudjohnsen, who calmly slotted home to put us 1-0 up. The perfect start.

Despite a mistake for the second, I have to talk about Yuki Ohashi. His relentless pressing, aerial duels, and sheer work rate were outstanding. Just before half-time his persistence paid off when capitalising on a defensive mix-up to smash home our second to make it 2-0.

It was also great to see Sondre Tronstad back in the side, steadying the ship and giving us control in midfield. While we could name a few others, Moussa Baradji deserves a mention. His cameo brought unpredictability and energy that unsettled Millwall and it will be great to see him when he is back to full fitness. Add in the other academy talents like Tom Atchenson and Nathan Dlamini, and it is clear how vital that pathway is for the club.

This result does not just feel good, it feels necessary. The manager has been crystal clear with both board and fans about what is needed to take us forward in January. We have seen this before with two of the past three managers leaving shortly after January and casualties of wrong calls and poor timing.

As a fan who only wants the best for Blackburn and sees the hard work happening behind the scenes, I hope the board delivers what is needed this Christmas.

Around me, the chant rang out: "It must be Christmas, we're winning at home!" Hopefully the players who arrive in the next few weeks help turn that festive cheer into a strong start to the new year.

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Middlesbrough will seek to finish 2025 strongly at the Riverside as they welcome Blackburn on Friday (15:00 GMT).

Boro lie second, six points behind leaders Coventry and five ahead of third-placed Ipswich after seeing a four-match winning streak under Kim Hellberg ended by a 2-0 defeat at Bristol City last time out.

Valerien Ismael's Blackburn moved six points clear of the drop-zone after picking up their first win in six games with a 2-0 home win over Millwall last Saturday, and have an impressive recent record on the road in Teesside.

• Middlesbrough won their last league game against Blackburn 2-0 in April but haven't won consecutively against Rovers since doing the double over them in 2012/13.

• Blackburn are unbeaten in their past 10 away league games against Middlesbrough (W3 D7), though their last defeat was a Boxing Day meeting in 2012.

• Middlesbrough have won nine of their past 11 home league games on Boxing Day, with both exceptions coming against Sheffield Wednesday (0-1 in 2018, 3-3 in 2024).

• Blackburn's last away win on Boxing Day came against Middlesbrough in the Premier League in 2005. Since then they've failed to win any of their nine Boxing Day away games (D3 L6), losing the past six in a row.

• Middlesbrough have won 11 of their past 16 home league games (D3 L2), with their only two defeats in this time coming against last season's champions Leeds in April and current league leaders Coventry in November.

Blackburn boss Valerien Ismael hopes to negotiate the "carnage" of the festive programme before adding to his squad in the January transfer window.

Rovers have four games in 10 days with an already threadbare squad, starting at Middlesbrough on Boxing Day.

Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It's really tough this time of year. The only one I like is the Boxing Day game, it's a really nice tradition, always special.

"All the others are too much for every coach, especially this year when you play every two or three days - you just need to manage the period, after that you can ask me what carnage happened.

"We need to bridge the time to January. I hope in January we can add some bodies to the squad. Hopefully we can get through without any big issues."

Outgoings from Ewood Park are possible to aid incomings and Ismael said: "If players aren't happy because they are not playing enough we won't stop them moving if there is an opportunity.

"We want to adjust and want to add some bodies, we have to do that, but on the other hand it means you have to take decisions.

"We are very pleased with the development of a lot of players, with a couple we are still waiting. At some point you have to deliver."

Rovers head to second-placed Boro on Friday (15:00 GMT) but Ismael said they were "ready for the challenge", adding: "They are one of the top teams (but) we know we are able to perform against the top teams."

Ismael admitted it "doesn't look good" for Andri Gudjohnsen's chances of featuring, with the forward suffering a tight hamstring following Saturday's game against Millwall.

But he said keeper Balasz Toth is back in training after a knee injury and could return to the squad over the festive period as competition for Aynsley Pears.

"I'd prefer to have that problem, it's good to have the choice," said Ismael. "I'm really pleased we have two great keepers in that position."

Lindsey Lewis
Blackburn Rovers fan writer

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Ask any Rovers fan what they wanted the big man to deliver this Christmas (Santa not Andri Gudjohnsen), and the answer would have been three points at home for only the second time this season.

It has been a slog at Ewood these past few months and in a week that saw the Blackburn Rovers Supporters Coalition call for fans to 'Turn Off The Taps' and a boycott of the upcoming home game against Watford, this result was a welcome respite in the ongoing and seemingly never ending saga of the Venky's ownership.

On paper Valerien Ismael's team selection did not fill me with confidence but what a joy to be so utterly wrong.

Matty Litherland had a wonderful debut performance, George Pratt is looking better and better every game and cameos from Nathan Dlamini and Tom Atcheson made me so incredibly happy to see our youngsters grabbing their opportunity with both hands and playing without any fear.

Todd Cantwell was majestic and the return of Sondre Tronstad could be season-defining. We are quite simply just so much better when he is on the pitch.

It was a joy to go ahead early via that man Gudjohnsen and, rather uncharacteristically, I didn't feel particularly nervous throughout the rest of the game.

When the mistake from McNamara and Crocombe led to Yuki Ohashi tapping in for the second just before half-time, I couldn't help but smile and think today, for once, it might just be our day.

Ismael's men must build on this result. Home form like ours is relegation material. Their New Year's resolution for 2026 needs to be to make Ewood Park a fortress again.

Andy Bayes
Sports editor, BBC Radio Lancashire

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The calendar year of 2025 at Ewood Park won't be remembered particularly fondly, but Blackburn Rovers signed off for the year with a much-needed victory that gives them a little more room for manoeuvre.

In the week leading up to the match head coach Valerien Ismael had been clear. It was time to be ruthless and he wants up to four new faces next month.

His changes were bold. Out went Makhtar Gueye from the 20-man squad. Dion De Neve's recent form meant he was removed from the starting XI and never looked likely to enter the fray from the bench. Sidnei Tavares saw his place taken in midfield and Ryan Alebiosu has signed off for Afcon duty.

In their places, two unexpected and two predicted.

If Sondre Tronstad is fit, he plays the full game unless he's on a booking. It's as simple as that. It looks like this is his final season as a Rovers player and they've got their work cut out to replace him. George Pratt's return added size and balance to the left of the back three.

The wing-back roles were the surprise selections. Harry Pickering starting a home league match for the first time in more than a year on the left. Matty Litherland, a centre-back, a local lad who has been with Rovers since the age of six, got the nod on the right for a full debut.

Litherland had brought two saves from Millwall keeper Max Crocombe within the first nine minutes, the first of which saw Andri Gudjohnsen tap home the rebound.

The second goal was the slice of fortune that Rovers haven't had all year. A lack of communication between Lions full-back Danny McNamara and Crocombe gave Yuki Ohashi his easiest career goal. That felt like the watershed moment - finally something was going right at home.

The second half was largely a non-event. It didn't need to be spectacular. Millwall were marginally better after three half-time changes, but Alex Neil was never going to pull any punches in his summing up. He felt his team deserved exactly what they got.

The player of the match plaudits went to Litherland, who got through 73 minutes before his place was taken by another academy graduate making his league debut in Tom Atcheson. And, to make it the hat-trick of debutants, young Nathan Dlamini was sent on for the last few moments in the forward line.

My standouts were three more senior citizens. Lewis Miller gave another wholehearted display at the back. His appetite to win the ball back in any given circumstance is his biggest asset. He's also kept himself fit this season, which has been enormously important, with other defenders not being able to say the same.

Todd Cantwell and Tronstad were my other big performers. Both play like they trust each other to look after the ball. Both technically excellent, calm and assured.

This match was the first time in 11 weeks that both started the same match. Football can be a simple game sometimes.

If your best players are available, you stand a far greater chance of winning matches. Ismael will be hoping they can both stay fit and avoid another 12-game run where one or both haven't been on the team sheet.

The next few weeks will be intriguing to see how Rovers' 25-man squad will shape up by the end of January.

Who will be added and who will have to drop out or be moved on? Gueye might well have played his final minutes in blue and white.

Pickering, despite his recall, is another who Ismael says he'll be fair to when the window opens. There will have to be other casualties if the head coach gets his way.

But, to end the calendar year with a first clean sheet at home since February and doubling the first-half goals column for the season in one game… this was exactly what everyone associated with the club needed. The players and the head coach deserve all the credit.