Blackburn Rovers are set to host Sunderland at Ewood Park on Monday. In the game against the Black Cats, the Rovers will not have the services of the following players who are sidelined owing to injury: Dunn and Grella.
The sides are level on points; while Sunderland are eleventh on the table, Blackburn are thirteenth. But while Sunderland have just the solitary loss away to West Brom, Blackburn have three, one of those coming at home at Ewood Park.
Blackburn passing and shooting have been below par, with barely 60% (the lowest in the league this season) finding their target. Shots at target are also low in number with only Wolves ranking below Blackburn in this criterion.
That said, Sunderland’s away record in recent times has been very bad, with the Black cats winning just two out of 32 games played. And of the last ten matches played against Blackburn, Sunderland have only won two.
Sunderland also have injury concerns with the following players yet to recover from their respective injuries: Campbell and Maylor. In some good news for the club, Richardson and Mensah who were earlier on the list of injured players have been declared fit to play.
There is also a question mark over Darren Bent’s match fitness and manager Steve Bruce could take a late call on Bent’s inclusion in the team for Monday’s match, as the striker is key to the squad’s success. Bent withdrew from England’s Euro 20102 qualifier match against Montenegro on Tuesday, with a groin injury.
Steve Bruce will also have to decide on his first choice of goalkeeper, with Craig Gordon returning to the squad. Mignolet, who took charge between the posts when the Scot broke an arm ahead of the season, has done very well, especially against Manchester United aganst whom he kept a clean slate.
The following men comprised the Rovers’ starting eleven in their match against Stoke City on October 2: Paul Robinson, Salgado, Christopher Samba, Ryan Nelsen, Gael Givet, Bryan Emerton, Steven Nzonzi, Jones, Morten Gamst Pedersen, El-Hadji Diouf, Mame Diouf
The substitutes were: Hoilett, Nikola Kalinic, Martin Olsson, Keith Andrews, David Dunn, Chimbonda, Mwaruwari
Sunderland included the following players in their starting eleven in the game against Manchester United on October 2: Simon Mignolet, Nedum Onuoha, Michael Turner, Titus Bramble, Phillip Bardsley, Steed Malbranque, Lee Cattermole, Jordan Henderson, Boudewijn Zenden, Darren Bent, Ahmed Elmohamady
The substitutes were: Craig Gordon, Andy Reid, John Mensah, Cristian Riveros, Paulo Da Silva, Anton Ferdinand, Asamoah Gyan