Blackburn Rovers

Adam Cottier
BBC Final Score reporter

"We play with energy and this is our DNA."

A line that stood out from Valerien Ismael's post-match debrief with BBC Radio Lancashire.

This, following a gutsy, high-octane performance that yielded a fifth away win this season for his Blackburn Rovers side.

Why Rovers have been far better away from home under Ismael can - and will - be hotly debated by their supporters ahead of a home game with QPR on Wednesday.

It's a game that will almost certainly be played in a less fervent atmosphere than the one that greeted Rovers at Deepdale, home to a team enjoying their best start to a season for six years. Blackburn seemed to thrive off the energy from the crowd here, swelled by some 5,000 of their own.

Ismael showed guts himself. With Rovers' defence decimated by injury, he chose to hand a debut to defender George Pratt, a 22-year-old who, 13 days prior, had been completing a loan spell at sixth-tier Chorley. The academy graduate didn't let his manager down, making an outstanding senior debut.

Image source, Getty Images

At the other end of the pitch, Yuki Ohashi exuded the rich tenacity that has become a hallmark of his game, a driving force and constant pest to the opposition. In Andri Gudjohnsen - the match-winner here - Rovers have a player growing well into English football, his goals tally now escalating encouragingly.

There were many standout performers in this local derby - willing runners, desire in abundance and two outstanding goals, both from set-piece situations.

Ismael will now want more consistency and that means rectifying the home form that contributed to Rovers being in the bottom three in the non-too-distant past.

The fact the win at Preston moved Rovers closer to the top six than those relegation places is a testament to Ismael's perseverance and adaptability with this group of players, many of whom are in their formative months on English soil.

They have certainly excelled, and thrived with the energy levels Ismael speaks of, in wins at Hull, Watford, Leicester, Bristol City and now Preston. It's a mightily impressive away record, second only to Coventry as of Friday night.

It's at home where they must replicate and restore serious hope of a successful season and that must start in midweek after a memorable night seven miles down the road.

Valerien Ismael wants to see winning "become an addiction" after Blackburn Rovers beat Lancashire rivals Preston North End in the Championship.

He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "In the Derby County game [2-1 defeat], in the second half we were on the front foot, we dominated, we were dominant again. It's just that consistency in the performance we were not able to do."

"I think if it's only 1-0 against Derby we would be able to come back into the game so we made it difficult in the first half. Southampton [2-1 win] we made it the same. So we spoke in the last two weeks about that consistency in our performance. This is what we needed."

He added: "We are a team, we are on the front foot, we play with energy and this is our DNA and we have to stay that way. If you win or lose a game, this is football, sometimes you cannot influence.

"What we can influence is what we perform on the pitch and that was what was our focus for the last two weeks and it for sure gave confidence to the players because winning games is one thing.

"Every team is able to win games, it's all about the next one, to win three, four, five, six, seven, eight games in a row, it has to become an addiction and now hopefully we can do the next step next week against QPR."

You can listen to more from Valerien Ismael on BBC Sounds.

If you're wondering where your team is going to finish in the Championship this season, you no longer need to worry.

Well, kind of.

Opta's supercomputer has worked its magic to figure out the most likely final league position of every team - and the chances each has of being promoted, making the play-offs or getting relegated.

Who is most likely to win automatic promotion?

It will come as no surprise that leaders Coventry are heavy favourites for the title (69.3%) and also have the highest chance of automatic promotion (84.2%) to the Premier League.

The next most likely to go straight up, with a 30.8% chance, are Middlesbrough. Despite currently sitting seventh and six points behind Boro in second, Ipswich are expected to be the third favourites for a top two finish (18.9%) followed by Stoke (14.1%).

Even though they've each enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, Preston (10.3%), Hull (6.1%) and Millwall (8.3%) have slimmer chances of finishing in an automatic promotion spot.

Who will make the play-offs?

Image source, Rex Features

Even if Coventry don't win automatic promotion, Opta's supercomputer has given the Sky Blues a 97.9% chance of a top-six finish, suggesting it's almost guaranteed.

Each of Middlesbrough, Ipswich, Preston and Stoke are expected to finish in a minimum of a play-off position at least one in two times.

Hull might feel the hardest done by as they sit fifth currently, but are said to have less chance (32.3%) than Millwall (38.8%) and Charton (32.4%), who are below them in the table.

The most likely of the chasing pack to make a surge up the table are 12th-placed Leicester City, who have been given a 31.8% chance of finishing in the top six and are more likely than Bristol City (28.9%), Derby (22.9%) and Birmingham (19.9%).

Last season's beaten play-off finalists Sheffield United have just a 1.8% chance of recovering their season to make the play-offs again, while relegated Premier League side Southampton (12.5%) aren't likely to either... if you trust the supercomputer!

Who is going down?

Image source, Rex Features

It's probably not hard to work out who is most likely to finish bottom and be relegated to League One.

Sheffield Wednesday's 12-point deduction, which has left them 17 points adrift of safety on -4 points, means they're pretty much nailed on to finish bottom (84.8%) - and failing that, are almost certain to go down (98.2%).

Second from bottom Norwich are the next most likely candidates to fall through the trap door (58.5%) but Sheffield United, who currently occupy the final relegation spot, have just a 22.4% chance of going down and are considered more likely to stay up than Oxford (37.8%) and Portsmouth (31.3%).

We made it through another international break!

The Championship action resumes in style on Friday night (20:00 GMT) as high-flying Preston North End welcome lowly Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers to Deepdale.

The Lilywhites are unbeaten in four games and lie fourth but would climb into the automatic promotion places ahead of the Saturday programme with a derby win.

Rovers saw a three-match winning run ended by a home defeat to Derby in their final game before the international break and sit 19th, six points clear of the relegation zone.

• The last three league meetings between Preston and Blackburn at Deepdale have all been drawn with a different scoreline – 1-1 in 2022/23, 2-2 in 2023/24 and 0-0 last season.

• Following a 2-1 win in January, Blackburn Rovers are looking for consecutive league wins over Preston for the first time since doing the double over them in 2021/22.

• Preston North End have 26 points after 15 Championship games this season (W7 D5 L3), their most at this stage of a campaign since 2019/20 (28), going on to finish 9th that season.

• Blackburn Rovers have won their past two away league matches, their third different run of consecutive away wins under manager Valerien Ismael. They haven't won three in a row since a run of four in November and December 2024 under John Eustace.

• Each of Blackburn Rovers' past five Championship goals have been scored by either Andri Gudjohnsen (3) or Yuki Ohashi (2), with Ohashi looking to score in three appearances in a row for the first time

Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Alebiosu says he and his team-mates are "fired up" for Friday's Championship meeting with local rivals Preston North End.

"The boys are raring to go," the right-back told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"Obviously it's a big game. Everyone is fired up so we can't wait to go in front of the fans, show them what we can do, perform and just give a fight.

"The best games are the hardest ones.

"You want to play in these games and not hide away but go into it and show yourself so it's a great opportunity for us to get the three points."

You can listen to more from Ryan Alebiosu on BBC Sounds.

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire

Blackburn have been dealt another injury blow with defender Hayden Carter out for a period of time because of a calf injury.

Carter has played just once for Rovers this season, in the victory at Watford on 13 September, and had only recently returned to fitness after a hamstring problem.

"He's got another injury on his calf, so it will take him out for another period of time," manager Valerien Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire. "This one is a big frustration for me and for the player first.

"You count on Hayden; you see all the potential he has, but it seems that he is not able to come around the corner to stay fit, which is a big problem for us now. Hopefully he can now resolve his health issue.

"We wanted to count on him, to plan with him, but now time's flying. We're at the end of November, so we are not seeing him coming back before Christmas."

Ismael is looking at the January transfer market as a time to address Rovers' issues at the heart of their defence with Scott Wharton out until the early weeks of 2026 because of an Achilles issue.

"I think it's clear that with the injuries to Hayden and Scott, it's something we have to look at," he added.

In recent weeks, Rovers have recalled 22-year-old centre back George Pratt from a loan spell at Chorley and registered him in their squad, taking their total to 24.

Rovers will also play Preston North End without captain Todd Cantwell, who misses his seventh successive match with a knee injury.

"He's had a setback with his knee," Ismael added. "It's frustrating for him, and it's frustrating for us because it's actually not a big deal.

"The injury he's got is nothing major but takes him to solve a session, pain-free. That's why it will take him out another week.

"The good news is the last two days he's had some good sessions without pain. It gives a little bit more hope that he will be available next week."

Rovers now have midfielder Moussa Baradji back in training, and his debut could be close.

Baradji has been out since signing on a season-long loan deal from Swiss club Yverdon-Sport in August.

"He looks good; he trains fully with the team now," Ismael said. "Now he's available because he's in full training with the team. It's good news and what I expected.

"Now he's more ready for sure. It's about the game rhythm now, and when is the right time to get him back? With so many games in front of us, it's not really the right time, so we have to be creative with him, how can we integrate him?"

With the Championship relegation battle beginning to take shape, could the real decider be the transfer window?

"Who has the best January could be the difference here," BBC Radio Lancashire sports editor Andy Bayes said.

"I think Alan Nixon reported, external at the weekend that he thinks Blackburn Rovers have been given permission for three. For me, if they have, they've got to be three to go into the team.

"If you are looking for three new players, they have to recruit with some Championship experience because they did the opposite in the summer."

Rovers are 19th in the table, six points above the bottom three.

Former Blackpool forward Brett Ormerod believes it will be tough for three new additions to seamlessly integrate into the starting XI.

"It's a gamble for players to come in and hit the ground running. Very few players come in and hit the ground running unless they are playing in an exceptional team who just happen to be flying high," Ormerod said.

Listen to the full discussion and more Blackburn Rovers content on BBC Sounds.

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire

Image source, Shuttershock

Valerien Ismael says his Blackburn team paid a big price for last Tuesday night's victory at Bristol City. He was right.

Between the victory at Ashton Gate and the defeat on Saturday by Derby, two key players had been ruled out for a considerable period of time.

Goalkeeper Balasz Toth has already undergone surgery on his knee, keeping him out for at least a month, potentially more, and centre-back Scott Wharton will not play again in 2025 because of a torn Achilles tendon.

A look at the teamsheet on Saturday caused confusion for most. The main area in question was, if three players were going to be employed at centre-back, who would play alongside Lewis Miller and Sean McLoughlin?

The answer turned out to be Ryan Hedges - a versatile player who joked last week there are only two positions he's not played for the club: goalkeeper and centre-back.

Only one to go now, Ryan!

The loss of Wharton was keenly felt throughout the first half - he's been the most consistent central defender this season.

The second period saw Derby largely hold their opponents at arm's length until a clumsy challenge from Dion Sanderson presented Yuki Ohashi with a penalty that he put away.

As much as Ismael wanted his team to press for a leveller, his options on the bench were limited.

Makhtar Gueye was given his latest chance to prove he's deserving of a run in the side. He didn't pass the test. It's pretty clear Ismael doesn't see the number nine as the future, and a January move for him would be best for all parties, providing there is somebody to replace him.

I asked Ismael if a foray into the free agent market for another centre-back was a route he'd like to go down. He was clear in his response.

"No way. It makes no sense at the minute."

He went on to detail he'd been down that route when he was in charge of West Brom, and it didn't work.

The deadline-day departure of Dom Hyam to Wrexham, coupled with the subsequent change of system, has left Rovers painfully short of options at centre back.

When they return from the break, they'll have Hayden Carter ready. Without a doubt, his return will be a significant boost, and he deserves some better luck with his injury.

He started the first 11 league games of last season but has only featured in six since then. If Todd Cantwell can prove his fitness over the break and the return from suspension, things will look a little stronger for the trip to Preston.

On a positive note, a number of key figures from Rovers' past were at Ewood on Saturday to celebrate 150 years of the club.

Stalwarts like Simon Garner, Glenn Keeley and Derek Fazackerley were back in the stand with the rest of the returning heroes on the pitch for a 40-minute match against the Old Etonians in a re-run of the 1882 FA Cup Final.

There was a team containing Full Members Cup, League Cup, Premier League and promotion winners, as well as those who trod the boards in Europe.

Not the day that was hoped for in terms of Championship points, but a day to remember for those involved during the second match.

Image source, Getty Images

Blackburn Rovers have named former Liverpool and Rangers defender Gregory Vignal as the new head coach of their under-21 side.

The 44-year-old Frenchman won the UEFA Cup, UEFA Super Cup and FA Cup while playing for Liverpool under Gerard Houllier and also appeared for Portsmouth, Southampton, Birmingham City and Dundee United.

Vignal has coached within the academies at Montpellier, Marseille and Rangers as well as managing Rangers Women plus Versailles in his homeland.

He replaces Mike Sheron, who left Blackburn in September.

"To be the new under-21s head coach for Blackburn Rovers is an amazing feeling, because of the size and the history of this football club, and I believe this is one of the best academies in the country for producing top players," he told the club website., external

Blackburn Rovers head coach Valerien Ismael spoke BBC Radio Lancashire following Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Derby County.

"It was very frustrating, especially the first-half," he said.

"That's not what I expected from us. We end up 2-0 down without really knowing why, Derby didn't really [do] a lot.

"We lost the game in the first half. Why did we start like that and wait until we conceded the goals?

"I will take it as a learning process with this young team. Today was a game we needed to be good on the ball - we have to be on it."

Blackburn wing-back Ryan Hedges has spoken of the positivity around Ewood Park as Rovers go in search of a fourth straight Championship win.

Derby County are the visitors on Saturday (12:30 GMT) with the Rams having won four straight themselves under John Eustace, who controversially left Rovers to move to Pride Park in February.

After a five-match winless run, Blackburn's 1-0 victory at Bristol City on Tuesday followed a 2-0 success at Leicester and a first home win of the campaign the previous week to lift Valerien Ismael's side seven points clear of the relegation zone and within seven of the play-offs, with a game in hand.

"To get three on the bounce is really positive," Hedges, 30, told BBC Radio Lancashire. "I don't think heads dropped too much, the performances were there, we just weren't picking up the results, but it's a good place to be at the moment.

"Two clean sheets away from home show we have defensive capabilities and we have firepower at the top end of the pitch as well.

"We've lost key players over the summer, new players coming in take time to adapt to a new team, country and league but they've done well, everyone has played their part and you can see that coming to fruition."

Ahead of the reunion with his former boss, Wales international Hedges said he enjoyed working under Eustace at Ewood Park and added: "I think we were really unlucky with what happened (but) he made his decision, I felt we were in a good place at the time when he left."

Following the Rams encounter on Saturday, Rovers will mark the club's 150th anniversary with a Legends match against an Old Etonians XI, rekindling a rivalry born in the 1880s.

"It's a massive week for the club, it's up to us to put on a performance on the pitch first," said Hedges.

"There have been some superstars through the doors down the years and not many clubs can say they have won the Premier League - hopefully this team can have their own legacy and write their name in the history books."

Image source, Opta

Subplots galore as two of the Championship's form teams meet on Saturday lunchtime with red-hot Derby County heading to Blackburn Rovers (12:30 GMT).

It's a first return for John Eustace who swapped a play-off push at Ewood Park for a relegation scrap at Pride Park in February.

Eustace's Rams beat Hull City 2-1 on Tuesday to make it four straight league wins and climb to 11th, within three points of the play-off places.

Valerien Ismael's Rovers won 1-0 at Bristol City on the same night to register a third straight win and lie seven places but only four points back, with a game in hand, and now have a seven point cushion over the relegation zone.

• Blackburn Rovers have won each of their past six home league games against Derby County, since a goalless draw in October 2015.

• Derby County won 2-1 when they last faced Blackburn Rovers in March this year, last winning back-to-back league meetings with the Rovers in the 2014-15 campaign under Steve McClaren.

• Blackburn Rovers have won each of their past three league games, more wins than they managed across their first 10 Championship matches this season (W2 D1 L7) – they could win three in a row to nil for the first time since December 2024, a run of five under current Derby County boss John Eustace.

• Derby County are currently on the joint-longest winning run in the EFL (4 – level with Stockport County) and the Rams will be aiming to win five consecutive league games for the first time since December 2023 in League One.

• Carlton Morris has scored nine goals in his 14 league appearances for Derby County, more than he managed last season for Luton Town (8) – only in 2022-23 (20), 2023-24 (11) and 2020-21 (10) has the 29-year-old reached double figures in his league career.

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire's Sport Editor

Image source, Shutterstock

A fourth away win of the season by the 4 November is a really good return for Blackburn Rovers. All of them coming accompanied by a clean sheet too.

They've reached four victories on the road a month quicker than they did last year when they only missed out on a play-off spot on the final day.

It's been a little like feast or famine under Valerien Ismael. He lost five in a row shortly after his appointment last season, but within the next five games, he'd won four on the bounce.

Seven defeats in ten at the start of this season gave cause for concern, and now it's three maximums in a row.

Rovers are the very epitome of the Championship. Expect the unexpected.

It seems that in these three victories, the losing team has turned out to be 'the story'. Southampton and Leicester City are both struggling to come to terms with life back in the Championship, and Bristol City were hit by significant injuries on the back of a 5-1 defeat at Stoke City on Saturday.

I think that's really unfair on Ismael and his side to label it that way. They're a new-look team who are adapting to a new way of playing. The names of some of the players on the team sheet at Ashton Gate probably won't be considered household names in English football, but nevertheless they're learning to hold their own at a level that is simply sink or swim.

The switch to playing three centre-backs is working. They appear more solid, less likely to buckle late on. Scott Wharton has marshalled the back line in outstanding fashion on his return from long-term injury.

The frustration of losing Callum Brittain in the summer has been largely forgotten by the emergence of new recruit, Ryan Alebiosu.

The right-back has been a revelation in a back four or as a wing-back. A player brought up by Arsenal who has appearances in League One, the Scottish Premiership and Belgium already on his CV.

Taylor Gardner-Hickman is making a central midfield position his own following the August departure of Lewis Travis. A permanent move from Birmingham City, you would think, would be a formality.

Andri Gudjohnsen has three in his last three games, and you sense that a front pairing with Yuki Ohashi could bear fruit. Both frontmen have contributed winning goals in this three-match winning run.

It's all the more impressive that Rovers are turning around their fortunes without captain and talisman, Todd Cantwell. He, along with defender Hayden Carter, is close to returning from the treatment table and can only improve matters further.

But the problems picked up at Ashton Gate could give great cause for concern.

Goalkeeper Balazs Toth picked up a knee injury late on. He needed treatment twice before being replaced by Aynsley Pears. Valerien Ismael called Bristol City's reaction to the injury 'a disgrace'.

Toth is having an excellent first season as Rovers' number one, but the head coach's comments post-match were clearly those of a worried man.

Wharton also went off with an ankle problem. If anyone deserves luck regarding injuries, it's him. He missed the whole of last season with a serious knee injury.

And Sondre Tronstad has succumbed to a suspension after picking his fifth yellow card. He'll miss the 150th anniversary fixture against Derby County.

The squad is thin; it's perhaps a blessing that the final international break of 2025 is just around the corner.

Blackburn Rovers head coach Valerien Ismael believes his side are finally into their stride following their win at Bristol City.

The 1-0 triumph was the club's third successive victory, coming on the back of wins against Southampton and Leicester City.

"Another forceful performance away and another clean sheet which is good for the confidence after Leicester," Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"We knew the performances were right from the beginning of the season without getting the reward, now we are picking up points so the picture is right."

It leaves Blackburn seven points clear of the Championship relegation zone ahead of Saturday's lunchtime game against Derby County.

Bristol City host Blackburn Rovers tonight (19:45 GMT) and will be hoping to bounce back after Saturday's heavy 5-1 defeat by Stoke City.

Blackburn are fresh from an impressive 2-0 away victory over Leicester City on Saturday which was just their fourth win of the season.

The away side have won their last two games and will be eyeing a third straight victory.

• The home side has won all four league meetings between Bristol City and Blackburn Rovers over the past two seasons, while the Robins are unbeaten at home against Rovers in their last five (W3 D2).

• Blackburn Rovers did the league double over Bristol City in the 2019-20 campaign but have won just two of 10 league meetings with the Robins since then (D3 L5).

• Since the start of last season, Coventry City (59) are the only ever-present side to win more home points in the Championship than Bristol City (57), who have lost just five of 30 matches at Ashton Gate (W16 D9).

• Blackburn Rovers won three of their seven midweek (Tue/Wed/Thu) Championship away games last season (D1 L3), their most midweek away wins in a league campaign since 2017-18 in League One (6).

• Bristol City manager Gerhard Struber's first game in the EFL came against Blackburn Rovers with Barnsley in November 2019, a 3-2 defeat. His only other meeting with Rovers ended in a 2-0 home win in June 2020.