Image source, Rex Features

Tempers flare between Sam Gallagher and Perry Ng, as Ng hurdles over Gallagher and appears to pull his hair.

No action taken.

Sam Gallagher volleys over after smart build-up.

Blackburn have been the better side.

Whisper it quietly, but we are a quarter of the way towards Rovers' first draw of the season.

Could Cardiff draw 0-0 yet again?

Can I tempt fate into giving us a goal?

Stay tuned.

Andy Legg
Former Cardiff defender on BBC Radio Wales

That's a golden opportunity.

All Gavin Whyte had to do is get it out of his feet.

Ben Brereton-Diaz almost skips clear, but the ball runs away from him.

It's January now, of course, so as ever we are bound to read his name a lot in the coming weeks in the transfer gossip page.

Big chance!

Cardiff break from a Rovers mistake and Gavin Whyte is sent clear, but Jake Garrett makes a brilliant last-ditch tackle.

If Garrett gets that wrong it's a goal or a red card.

Brilliant defending.

Cardiff are playing their way into this game.

Jake Garrett goes into the book for fouling Gavin Whyte as the Bluebirds looked to break.

Mark Harris volleys over from the subsequent free-kick.

What a ball by Ryan Wintle!

That is the kind of cross that is begging to be turned home, but Cardiff just don't possess a striker who gets on the end of chances like that and the ball goes out of play.

20 goals in 25 games.

Andy Legg
Former Cardiff defender on BBC Radio Wales

As I said before the game, if Cardiff lay off Blackburn, they'll pass the ball and they'll get around them and they'll find space, that's exactly what's happening at the moment.

Cardiff need to get in their faces, close them down, don't give them any space.

Ben Brereton-Diaz will be kicking himself.

Bradley Dack plays him through, but his run was too early and his goal is rightly ruled out for offside.

All Rovers so far.

Fair to say the early kick-off, the date and live TV coverage are leading to a less than lively atmosphere at Ewood Park so far.

An early goal might help.

Andy Legg
Former Cardiff defender on BBC Radio Wales

I don't know what Kipre was intending to do.

Got away with one there Cardiff.

Nearly a big chance!

Cedric Kipre makes a mess of things and Sam Gallagher runs clear, but he tries to whip a shot around Ryan Allsop, rather than try and lob the goalkeeper, and Allsop manages to deflect the ball wide with his legs.

A very messy passage of play.

Referee Thomas Bramall (yes, he is from Sheffield) gets us under way at Ewood Park.

The EFL is up and running in 2023.

A pause for reflection as Ewood Park pays tribute to the incredible Pele, who died earlier this week.

• Well the first stat is an easy one, Blackburn don't draw! 25 Championship games and not a single draw for today's hosts.

• Cardiff are without a win in each of their last six away league visits to face Blackburn (D5 L1), since a 4-1 victory back in December 2012.
• Blackburn are unbeaten in their last six home league games played on New Year’s Day (W5 D1), and have won the last four.
• Cardiff are winless in their opening league game in each of the last five calendar years (D1 L4), conceding 14 goals in the process.
• Ben Brereton Diaz netted a hat-trick for Blackburn in this fixture last season, his only goals in his eight league appearances against Cardiff.

Image source, Getty Images

Andy Legg
Former Cardiff defender on BBC Radio Wales

Callum Robinson could be crucial for Cardiff because they desperately need goals.

What I fear for them is if they concede first, I can't see them getting back into the game and I think that's vital, they must score the first goal.

Last year was another filled with incidents in the English Football League.

From managers being impressed by an opposite number's dental work to teams winning promotion on the final day of the season, how much can you remember about the EFL in 2022?

Let us know how you got on using #bbcefl on Twitter.

How well do you remember what happened in the EFL in 2022?

Image source, Rex Features

Andy Legg
Former Cardiff defender on BBC Radio Wales

It's going to be a tough test for Cardiff at Blackburn this afternoon.

If they sit off Blackburn, I think they may be in trouble, but if they have a go at them they've maybe got a chance to get result.

Cardiff City boss Mark Hudson said ahead of this one that he wants to see his side find a "killer instinct".

The Bluebirds are the lowest scorers in the Championship, having found the net only 20 times in 25 games.

Both their Boxing Day and 29 December fixtures ended in 0-0 draws, against Queens Park Rangers and Coventry City respectively.

"We are creating the opportunities and giving up hardly any," said Hudson.

"That is a platform to build on but we need to find that killer instinct for sure, it's something we are all aware of."

Image source, Getty Images

They are winners or they are losers, the honours are never shared, and Blackburn gave their fans a sorry end to 2022 with a home defeat to Middlesbrough.

Rovers went ahead through a goal created by John Buckley, but the 23-year old was then sent off for throwing the ball at Riley McGree's head.

Jon Dahl Tomasson admitted Buckley showed "inexperience" but praised his side's performance.

The Rovers boss said: "John is a young lad, inexperienced. He showed inexperience and gave the referee a decision to make so he has to learn from that.

"It was a disappointing result to lose this game.

"Even with 10 men, we were able to create opportunities and were in the game for the whole 90 minutes. It was a frustrating night."

Despite the defeat Rovers are still third in the Championship, though it's hard to fathom where they will finish.

Only the top two in the Championship, Burnley and Sheffield United, have won more games than Rovers' 13 this term.

However, incredibly, only the current bottom three of Wigan, Blackpool and Huddersfield have been defeated more than Blackburn.

Image source, Getty Images