Blackburn Rovers

I am co-commentating at this game for the iPlayer, and I am really looking forward to going back to Ewood Park.

People there always tell me the great Alan Shearer was lucky to play alongside me when we won the Premier League together, and I know Al says the same himself regularly too.

This is one of the ties where you think there is a chance of an upset, because of what Wolves boss Vitor Pereira might do - does he go full pelt, or rest a few?

Pereira will make some changes, I am sure of that, because staying in the Premier League will be his priority.

Rovers manager John Eustace has a different dilemma because I bet he would love to shuffle his squad to help their play-off bid, but he does not have the players to do it.

Eustace has done a phenomenal job to have them in and around the top six, despite not being given any help in terms of signings.

Scoring goals is Rovers' problem - Yuki Ohashi is out injured and Makhtar Gueye is not very prolific - and Andreas Weimann is their top scorer this season with eight.

They are solid enough, though, with the likes of Callum Brittain, who has probably been Blackburn's best player this season, alongside Dom Hyam and Danny Batth at the back. They have all been colossal.

Getting Lewis Travis back from injury has been important too. He is their real driving force in the middle of the park.

As I say, I am not sure what the Wolves team selection will be like, but Pereira might want to build on last weekend's win over Aston Villa.

Based on that, and the fact Blackburn play some good stuff but are not ruthless enough, this is another tie which could go the distance.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1 after extra time

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Blackburn welcome Premier League side Wolves to Ewood Park in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday lunchtime (12:30 GMT).

Rovers won the competition in 1928 and last reached a final in 1960, which they lost against this weekend's opponents. They have made it to the semi-final twice since then - in 2005 and 2007.

• This will be the first meeting between Blackburn Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup since the 1960 final, which Wolves won 3-0; that is the most recent final of the competition either side reached.

• Wolverhampton Wanderers have won four of their past five away games against Blackburn Rovers (D1), since losing 3-0 in the Premier League in December 2010.

• Blackburn have progressed from each of their past six FA Cup fourth round ties, reaching at least the fifth round in each of the past two seasons. They last lost at this stage of the competition in 2010-11 (1-3 v Aston Villa).

• Wolves are looking to reach the FA Cup fifth round in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1993-94/1994-95. They've also won their past two away games in the competition, last winning three consecutively between March 1998 and December 1999.

• Andreas Weimann netted Blackburn's winner in the third round against Middlesbrough, his first FA Cup goal since January 2017 (for Wolves against Liverpool). All four of his goals in the competition have either come in the third round (2) or fourth round (2).

Andy Bayes
Sports Editor, BBC Radio Lancashire

Image source, Getty Images

Almost a year into his Blackburn reign, John Eustace was, visibly, as frustrated as he's been since taking the job by Tuesday's 2-1 defeat at QPR - a result that leaves his side still in the top five but having played more than the chasing pack.

A team that won six on the bounce before Christmas has now won two of their past 11 in the Championship, a run that has angered the head coach, who is the first to always back his players publicly.

"To lose in the manner we did with another soft goal was very disappointing," Eustace told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"We've got to put our bodies on the line to keep the ball out of the net."

The defeat was Rovers' 12th of the league season. The four clubs above them in the table have lost a combined 14. West Bromwich Albion, a place below them, have lost six but drawn more than double the number of games Rovers have.

The two sides meet next week with Tony Mowbray and Adam Armstrong up against their former club.

The lack of draws has been key of late. In their past two away games, Blackburn have responded to being a goal down by scoring the next one, but have conceded again at pretty much the same time in both - with 13 or 14 minutes to go.

A point at Bristol City and QPR would have been more than acceptable on the face of it, having won the home games against both earlier in the season.

It's also the manner of goals going which has been cause for concern. In the past five games (W1 L4), you could argue at least four, if not more, of the goals were soft. Deflections you can't do a lot about, but others have been a bit of a head scratcher.

Eustace knows things have to improve at both ends to stand a chance of securing one of those play-off spots.

"We've got to defend the box better and be more clinical in the final third because we still had two or three great chances," Eustace said.

"We need to improve if we've got any aspirations of trying to get into the top six. We need to be better than we have been."

'Fifth is more than many could every have dreamed of'

Since well before the turn of the year, Eustace has stressed the need for new arrivals during the January transfer window to help the players he already has. Six players have been added to his squad, three on deadline day.

The reaction from the fanbase has been mixed. Some have questioned the recruitment model and how it works, others feel it's an improvement on recent winter windows when high-profile human errors cost them key players.

How many of them impact the starting XI on a regular basis between now and May remains to be seen.

Emmanuel Dennis is one that has caught the imagination and comes at some outlay. But he hasn't kicked a ball in domestic football for 10 months.

Cauley Woodrow's only Championship start this season was in early November. Dion Sanderson and Adam Forshaw are in a similar boat.

Yuri Ribeiro has been in and out of Braga's side and Augustus Kargbo, who made his debut at Loftus Road, has played 90 minutes once in Serie B since the start of September.

Undoubtedly one of Eustace's biggest strengths is getting the best out of the players at his disposal.

His players love to work for him and added options will be welcome with an absentee list still containing Hayden Carter, Harry Pickering, Sondre Tronstad, Yuki Ohashi, Arnor Sigurdsson and Harry Leonard.

The 25-man squad to be named this week provides an interesting and delicate conundrum for the head coach.

Rovers have 26 seniors on the books, meaning someone will have to sit out the remainder of the season.

There are 45 points still up for grabs. To be fifth in the table at this point is more than many could ever have dreamed of. It's all to play for.

Image source, Rex Features

Blackburn Rovers were busy in the transfer window, signing six new players.

Nottingham Forest's Emmanuel Dennis and Luton Town's Cauley Woodrow joined on loan on deadline day, as well as left-back Yuri Ribeiro from Portuguese club Braga.

Sierra Leone forward Augustus Kargbo arrived from Italian side Cesena for an undisclosed fee earlier in the window, while centre-back Dion Sanderson joined on loan from Birmingham City and former Leeds United midfielder Adam Forshaw signed a deal until the end of the season.

We asked you for your thoughts on Rovers' business and here is what you had to say:

Iain: Eustace has the patience of a saint and the club did at last respond to the need for cover at left-back and to improve the attacking options. Is it enough for us to hold on to a top-six place, I'm not convinced but we will definitely be trying.

Brian: Can't really complain with six signings in the window. We've got three new forwards in, two of which have been promoted from the Championship and played at Premier League level. We've secured another left-back with Championship experience, and signed a former Leeds club captain in midfield.

The centre-back looks promising too. Good business all round. Gaps plugged and some firepower added up top. The board are giving Eustace and us a chance of the play-offs.

Ben: 5/10 - We needed bodies in the door to cover the numerous injuries and we achieved that. But considering we're in a play-off fight, we needed to finally spend some of the Szmodics and Wharton money on some quality, which we have, unsurprisingly, failed to do once again.

James: Considering the debacle of admin errors in the last two January windows, this window can only be viewed as a success. Throw in the fact that we've signed two internationals - I for one am happy.

Gary: A transfer window that seems more of desperation than strategic planning. I can't believe they always wait until the last day of the window again like every other year. We needed players in early in January and as it panned out we have not had a great January.

The other big concern is the lack of contract extensions of some of the core players. We no longer seem to have any players that could be sold as saleable assets. I would like Rovers CEO [Steve Waggot] to explain the strategy of the club. Have we got a plan and do they want to push for promotion, or glad to stay in the Championship?

Ronnie: Decent new faces, but don't see anyone in the squad who has genuine Premier League quality. If there was, other clubs would be buying them. Even if Rovers did do the impossible, they would soon be out of their depth.

Sean: Surprisingly pleased. Got a few experienced players for the Championship. Let's just hope they can hit the ground running.

Matt: Reasonable considering the last few January windows. Good squad additions, just not sure if it's that improvement in players that will keep us in the top-six hunt for the season.

Paul: Rovers seem to have found some players with potential, they need time to acclimatise in the squad and fit in JE's system. We can only hope that Rovers can achieve a top-six spot. It is no doubt that it will be a tough 15 games to the end of the season.

Chris: From it looking like we were only going to sign a couple of back-up players in Dion Sanderson and Adam Forshaw, to getting some additions in the positions we needed, ie left-back, up front and pacy left-wing option on the last day, I'm pretty happy. We can't compete with some of the other sides in the running in terms of pulling power, but hopefully these guys are something John can work with in the second half of the season. Quietly optimistic.

Image source, Rex Features

It's time to talk about Blackburn Rovers' transfer business...

Rovers signed Nottingham Forest's Emmanuel Dennis and Luton Town's Cauley Woodrow on loan on deadline day as well as left-back Yuri Ribeiro from Portuguese club Braga.

They had already signed Sierra Leone forward Augustus Kargbo from Italian side Cesena for an undisclosed fee while Dion Sanderson arrived on loan from Birmingham and Adam Forshaw signed after leaving Plymouth earlier in the window.

With 15 games remaining and on a run of eight points from the past 11 matches, Rovers have a fight on their hands to hold onto their current top-five standing.

We want you to tell us what you think about Rovers' transfer dealings...

Let us know your thoughts here.

Image source, Getty Images

Blackburn boss John Eustace spoke to BBC Radio Lancashire after his side conceded in the 76th minute to lose 2-1 at Queens Park Rangers.

"We've been very good defensively at set-pieces, but we weren't good enough at the start," he said, reflecting on Michael Frey's fifth-minute header to open the scoring.

"I had a little word with the boys before the second half, but they sorted it out themselves as well.

"The manner of the second goal was really disappointing. We should have done better on the second phase of the attack and we've got to put our bodies on the line to keep the ball out of the net.

"It's a really tough place to come when they raise the tempo here. We had some great moments but we just weren't clinical enough. We conceded a couple of really sloppy goals.

"A draw would have been a fair result and we would have taken 1-1. There are 15 games to go now and we can't look backwards. We've got to learn to keep the ball out of the net."

QPR host Blackburn in the Championship on Tuesday night (19:45 GMT) seeking to avoid a third straight defeat, while Rovers are aiming for back-to-back wins.

Rovers lie fifth and while they are 13 points adrift of fourth-placed Sunderland, they are at the head of a pack of eight teams separated by just four points in the race for the top-six.

The Rs start the day in 14th but know a victory would take them within three points of the play-off places.

• QPR have lost both of their past two home league games against Blackburn, never before losing three in a row.

• Blackburn Rovers have won five of their past six league games against QPR (L1), keeping four clean sheets during that time.

• QPR's 0-2 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday ended a five-game home winning run in the Championship. The Hoops haven't lost successive home league matches without scoring within a single season since April 2023 (run of 3).

• Blackburn have lost three of their past four away league outings (D1), as many as their previous 12 on the road (W6 D3 L3).

• Only against Cardiff City (7) and Hull City (6) has Blackburn's Andreas Weimann scored more goals in his English league career than he has against QPR (5). That said, the Austrian has failed to score in his last 10 league appearances against the Hoops since bagging a brace for Bristol City in August 2018.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest striker Emmanuel Dennis is close to a loan move to Blackburn Rovers.

Rovers have been interested in signing him during this window, but earlier on Monday, there was not a huge amount of confidence that the deal would get done.

However, they have managed to find a breakthrough, with Dennis poised for a move to Ewood Park to help the Championship play-off challengers.

Dennis has not played for Nottingham Forest this term and has spent time on loan at Watford and Turkish side Basaksehir in the past two seasons.

Image source, Rex Features

John Eustace says Blackburn have not finished trying to get deadline day deals done.

"The club are working very hard to get another couple of players in today, I hope," the Rovers boss told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"I know (recruitment team) Rudy (Gestede), Steve (Waggott), Adam Owen and Suhail (Pasha) are working really hard to get the players in so fingers crossed, that will happen."

Rovers have also signed former Nottingham Forest left-back Yuri Ribeiro on loan from Braga, with the hope a deal done in time for him to face Wolves in the FA Cup on Sunday.

Rovers keeper Joe Hilton's could be on the move away from Ewood Park before 23:00 GMT while the club are also hoping to add another forward.

"'I think you can see that's where we're light. That would be great," said Eustace. O-chan (Yuki Ohashi) is still 3-4 weeks away and Becky (Owen Beck) is our only left-back at the moment so those are the areas we'll certainly look to improve on."

Image source, Getty Images

Blackburn boss John Eustace says he was pleased to see his side beat Lancashire rivals Preston North End.

Rovers were 2-1 winners at Ewood Park thanks to Makhtar Gueye's first-half header and Todd Cantwell's penalty after the break, before Brad Potts' stoppage-time finish gave the visitors late hope.

The victory moved Eustace's side into the the play-off places.

"I thought we were excellent and should have been out of sight in the first half," Eustace told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"We played some fantastic football and I was really pleased to go in at half-time 1-0 up, and the way the lads battled and stuck together in the second half I thought we deserved the victory.

"We've conceded a sloppy goal at the end which is disappointing, but it's a local derby so I'm really pleased we could get three points and do the fans proud."

Image source, Getty Images

Blackburn Rovers are closing in on the signature of Cesena forward Augustus Kargbo, BBC Radio Lancashire reports.

The 25-year-old Sierra Leone international has scored three goals in 18 appearances for the Serie B side this season, though they all came in the opening nine games of the campaign.

It has been reported Rovers have tabled a bid of just under £700k for the versatile forward, who has scored five times for his country in 21 caps.

BBC Radio Lancashire sports editor Andy Bayes said: "He'll arrive in the country (on Thursday night) and undergo a medical in the morning. Work permit also to sort, but the deal is agreed."

Rovers have taken only five points from their past nine games, losing the last three in succession, scoring just seven goals in total in that spell to slip out of the play-off places.