Blackburn Rovers

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Bristol City forward Yu Hirakawa made his international debut for Japan on Thursday during their 1-0 World Cup qualifying loss against Australia.

The 24-year-old earned his first senior call-up in May and was put straight into the starting line-up for his country, who have already qualified for the 2026 finals.

The game also marked a first Japan start for Blackburn Rovers forward Yuki Ohashi.

Ohashi led the side up top while Hirakawa was utilised in midfield, but Australia's Aziz Behich scored a 90th-minute winner to hand Japan their first qualifying defeat.

Ben Ashton
BBC Sport England

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The 2024-25 Championship season might be over but there are many ways to analyse and reflect on the campaign that has gone before us.

Not every club can go up but if there are signs a team is moving in the right direction, it can still be considered good progress - or quite the opposite if things are on the slide.

Here is a look at how each of the 18 sides who were in the Championship for the past two seasons got on points wise compared to the 2023-24 campaign.

It perhaps comes as no surprise that Sunderland, who won promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs, recorded the most significant improvement after finishing 16th in 2023-24 and picked up 20 more points.

Despite a tumultuous season off the field, Blackburn were the second most improved side in the division, gaining 13 points on the previous campaign as they missed out on the play-offs by just two points.

Leeds racked up 90 points in 2023-24 but somehow still managed a 10-point improvement as they hit the 100 mark on their way to winning the title in their best-ever season in the second tier.

Millwall's seven-point improvement was enough to help them finish five places higher in eighth, but they fell short of the top six by two points.

Meanwhile, Bristol City were only six points better off but managed to climb five places and claim a play-off spot, recording their best Championship finishing position since 2007-08.

Coventry also only improved by five points but were able to jump from ninth to fifth, perhaps showing just how fine the margins can be in the Championship when it comes to securing a play-off berth.

At the bottom...

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You might want to look away now, Hull City fans.

The Tigers went backwards more than any other side compared to the previous season under Liam Rosenior, dropping from seventh place and three points outside the play-offs to only escaping relegation on goal difference on the final day.

Cardiff went from mid-table in 2023-24 to rock bottom and will drop down to League One for the first time in 22 years. It is pretty clear to see why as the Bluebirds picked up 18 fewer points compared to the previous season.

Norwich tumbled to 13th place after finishing in the play-offs a year before - an underperformance which ultimately cost Johannes Hoff Thorup his job as head coach.

Preston were 10 points off the play-off places in 2023-24 but picked up 13 fewer points under Paul Heckingbottom in what was their worst season since they were relegated from the Championship in 2010-11.

The Lilywhites' downturn was largely due to a major dip in form in the latter stages of the campaign, picking up only one win from their final 15 games (D7 L7) to avoid the drop by just one point.

West Bromwich Albion endured a disappointing season - for a club which always harbours ambitions of plying its trade in the top flight - with an 11-point drop off.

Albion's final points tally of 64 was their worst in the Championship since 1999-2000.

Plymouth may have only been five points worse off than they were in 2023-24 but having survived on the final day that season, there were to be no such heroics this time around and their two-year stint in the second tier is over.

And the rest...

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*All data based only on teams who were in the Championship in 2023-24 and 2024-25

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Valerien Ismael hopes to avoid a summer of upheaval at Ewood Park and says stability is the key for Blackburn success next season.

Rovers endured a rollercoaster campaign, spending much of the season in the top six of the Championship but dropping to 12th in April, only to finish strong and end up seventh.

They narrowly missed out on a play-off place on the final day, courtesy of a draw at Sheffield United while Bristol City came from 2-0 down to draw against Preston and secure sixth spot.

The 49-year-old Frenchman, who guided Rovers to 15 points from their final 12 games after replacing John Eustace in February, told the club website, external: "Our job now is to keep the vast majority of this squad as I've learned about the players.

"Reliability is very important for a manager - at the same time, we need to add some of what we don't have in the team to ensure we can compete better."

Ismael said "a lot will depend" on how contract negotiations go and added: "We will have some business to do but I don't want that big turnaround.

"We have a lot of trust in the players and, with a good pre-season and being clearer with the principles, I think we will be in a good place.

"The main thing is to have stability in this team and identify the right decisions. When everything is in place and with fewer injuries, we can compete and we can compete well. We have a positive view for next season."

Thirty years on it remains one of the most remarkable title triumphs of the Premier League era.

On 14 May 1995, four years after finishing 19th in the old Division Two, Blackburn Rovers were crowned champions of England after pipping Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United by one point.

In a thrilling race, Kenny Dalglish's side surged eight points clear only to lose three of their last five games - but they were celebrating after a dramatic final day.

Those who recall that season particularly remember Rovers owner Jack Walker, the Blackburn-born steel magnate who stood on the terraces of Ewood Park before bankrolling his beloved club, as well as the explosive 49-goal partnership between Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton - dubbed the SAS by the media.

On the 30th anniversary of Blackburn's greatest day, why not revisit the story of their Premier League triumph, told by those who lived it.

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Blackburn Rovers boss Valerien Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire following the 1-1 draw against Sheffield United:

"Again it was an outstanding performance. We knew how strong the opponent is. You have to first contain the attack, defend well, and at some point be brave on the ball.

"The game plan until we conceded was perfect. It was exactly what we expected but we conceded the goal too quickly. One bad decision and you get punished but I think the performance was right.

"At the end, we put every attacking player we have on the pitch, we played with only one midfield player to try to have that lucky punch.

"I take more positives today. For sure, we are disappointed to miss out on the play-offs but at least we built some momentum and we can keep on going for the next season."

On the future of winger Tyrhys Dolan, Ismael added:

"Tyrhys Dolan will be a player for example we will have to show patience [on] – it will be his decision [whether to stay at Blackburn].

"He has put himself in a position. It is a good position for him so we have to respect that.

"He knows the environment he has, he's got the love but at some point it depends on the offer he has."

Blackburn Rovers make the trip to Sheffield United on Saturday (12:30 BST) in a last-ditch attempt to make the play-offs.

Rovers will need to win to have a shot at the top six, as well as bank on at least two of the three teams above them - Bristol City, Coventry City and Millwall - faltering.

If they succeed, they will have also beaten a potential play-off opponent in Sheffield United, who will play the team that finishes sixth in the semi-finals.

Though this game may not have a lot riding on it for the Blades, boss Chris Wilder will want his team to get up to speed for the cut-throat play-offs awaiting them.

• Sheffield United have won five of their last seven league games against Blackburn Rovers (L2), keeping a clean sheet in all five of those victories.

• Blackburn Rovers are winless across their last six away league games against Sheffield United since a 2-1 victory in January 1994 (D1 L5), failing to score in each of their last five visits to Bramall Lane.

• Sheffield United are unbeaten across their last four final league games of a Championship season (W3 D1), scoring 2+ goals in each of those matches.

• This will be the third time that Blackburn have finished a league campaign by facing Sheffield United, beating the Blades 4-0 at home in 1920 before the pair drew 0-0 at Bramall Lane in 1939.

• Newly-crowned Championship player of the season Gustavo Hamer has netted nine goals for Sheffield United in 2024-25, while since the start of the 2022-23 campaign, only nine players have recorded more goal contributions than the Dutchman (38 – 20 goals, 18 assists), despite him spending the 2023-24 season in the top flight.

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Blackburn right-back Callum Brittain believes his side are "the team in form" following a fourth consecutive victory which has put them within one point of the Championship play-off spots.

Saturday's comeback win against Watford took Rovers up to eighth and a win on the final day of the season at potential play-off opponents Sheffield United could see them finish inside the top six if other results go their way.

With play-off rivals Coventry and Middlesbrough dropping points at the weekend, the 27-year-old is positive about Rovers' chances.

"Everyone's buzzing, confidence is thriving, and we're winning games," Brittain told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"We knew what was on the line, we saw the Coventry game in the dressing room before and we knew we couldn't come off that pitch without a win.

"We're the team in form at the moment, we're in a really good spot and all we can do is look forward to Saturday.

"I think the best thing we've done over the last few weeks is just enjoy each challenge as it comes and not think about the prospect of play-offs. I think that got into our heads a little bit.

"I'm really, really, really happy that we can give the fans some sort of hope towards the end of the season."

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Blackburn Rovers head coach Valerien Ismael spoke to BBC Radio Lancashire after their 2-1 win against Watford.

"The performance was right in the second half. We have now put ourselves in a good position, we have every chance now [of making the play-offs]," he said.

"One month ago it looked completely different with a lot of problems, injured players, we were losing games. And now we have turned it around with another brilliant performance in the second half.

"We stayed really calm after we conceded the goal and we finished well with two great goals.

"We will enjoy the moment now. It was our goal to win the game after we saw Coventry's result at Luton before kick-off [a Luton win] and now it will be very interesting."

Blackburn Rovers forwards Augustus Kargbo and Emmanuel Dennis have returned to training and could be available for the home game against Watford on Saturday (15:00 BST).

January transfer Kargbo has missed the past eight games with a hamstring issue, while Nottingham Forest loanee Dennis has been ruled out of the previous six.

"They are available for the game but we will see, especially with AK [Kargbo]. If it makes sense to pick him straight away now or to wait for the next game, but at least they're back in training so it looks better now," Rovers boss Valerien Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire.

Both players will be a boost to Blackburn's attacking profile come the weekend but it is not just the immediate future that Ismael has put his thoughts to.

The Frenchman is already considering how to improve his front line during the summer transfer window, and is seeking a player who will provide both pace and quality in transition to fill gaps in his current squad.

"You have to be creative. I know exactly the right profile with my data. It takes time to find the player, but when we get the player it will be easy to deal with," Ismael added.

"The right player is not necessarily the expensive one with my way to play.

"We are already ahead. We've judged on the players so I think we're in a good timing at the minute."

Blackburn are back in the Championship play-off race after three successive victories but have only won one of their past five home games.

Watford are on a three-match losing streak which has cost them a possible top-six finish.

• Blackburn lost this fixture 2-1 last season but have never lost consecutive home league games against Watford.

• Watford are looking to complete their fourth league double over Blackburn, previously doing so in 1970-71, 1981-82 and 2020-21.

• Blackburn have won their past three league games, as many as they had in their previous 15 (D2 L10).

• Watford have lost their past three league games. It is the third time this season they have lost three in a row, while they last lost four consecutively in the Championship in November 2014.

• No Championship side has been shown more red cards than Watford this season, with three of the Hornets' six sending-offs coming in their past two games.

Kevin Gallacher
Former Blackburn Rovers striker on BBC Radio Lancashire

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When the teams around you all lose, it gives you an opportunity.

Some of them are going to either play each other or play clubs battling relegation over the next two matches, so there are a lot of points to be won and lost between now and the end of the season.

Blackburn are back in the (play-off) mix if we can get a victory against Watford (on Saturday) and give you that little glimmer of hope because Sheffield United will be thinking about the play-offs.

They have two games left. They have an outside chance, but they've got to go out and enjoy it and try and get two victories, and hopefully teams above them do slip up.

Blackburn are four points behind sixth-placed Coventry City in the Championship with two games remaining.

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Blackburn manager Valerien Ismael said his side showed two sides to their game in the 1-0 win at Sunderland.

Tyrhys Dolan scored the only goal of the game to secure a third win in a row and keep Rovers' faint play-off hopes alive.

Rovers are now ninth, four points adrift of Coventry in sixth, and Ismael praised the "strength" of the display.

"It was two games in one game," he told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"The first half we competed well and scored and played some good football. In the second half, with the tiredness, we were more solid.

"We defended well. We needed more transition in the second half to get more relief, but we controlled everything.

"It was a forceful performance from the boys; great attitude, great mentality."

Blackburn welcome Ismael's former club Watford to Ewood Park on Saturday knowing only a win will do.

"We need to focus again for Saturday in the last home game," he added. "We want to finish strong."

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Millwall head coach Alex Neil spoke to BBC Radio London after his side's 4-1 defeat at Blackburn Rovers.

"The change in the game was taking the chances. They had two really good opportunities in the start and between that [and the goal] we had four or five really good opportunities to get the goal.

"They then get the first goal, we then respond and get another really good goal.

"Our management then has to be [to] get to half-time, make sure we can regroup, start the second half well and see where the game goes next.

"Unfortunately we conceded. What it meant was we had to continue to push and go for the next goal.

"We did have the next chance in the second half with Josh Coburn. I think if that goes in the complexion in the game completely shifts.

"I thought the third goal going in completely took the wind out of us and I think you could see that with the players, they looked as if [they thought] this is a long way back.

"I said to them my biggest problem probably at the end of the game was we looked as though we lacked a little belief at that stage and that's a frustration for me because that's not a nice sight to have as a coach."

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Blackburn head coach Valerien Ismael spoke to BBC Radio Lancashire following his side's 4-1 win over Millwall.

"It was a great afternoon, especially the way we wanted to play. We kept going after the second half against Sheffield Wednesday, the fighting spirit [we showed] against Luton, last week and I think we combined them both today - from minute one we were on the front foot.

"We see clearly the way the players want to reinforce the message, the game plan, the way we want to play.

"When you get the result the players start to believe and put some confidence in the things and it looks like today was the best performance I think from the players since I'm in."

On Callum Brittain: "On the other hand, you see clearly when you are missing key players it makes a huge difference.

"Callum Brittain in the first game back in and you see straightaway he lifted the quality in the team.

"This team needs the best players on the pitch to perform and now we see the statistics as well - much more shots on target, much more penetration and more goals."