The inside track on Blackburn Rovers: What Middlesbrough can expect at Ewood Park

We caught up with Rovers reporter Rich Sharpe from the Lancashire Telegraph to get the inside track on Boro’s next opponents.

1. How have Blackburn fared in their opening fixtures this season?

RS: “They lost 2-1 to Charlton at Ewood Park on the opening day, lost 2-0 at Fulham last weekend and then scored twice in injury-time to beat Oldham in the cup on Tuesday.

“They did ok at Fulham, first half they looked particularly bright were the better team until Carney scored a 25-yarder, they just struggled to test the keeper and only had two shots on target in two games.

“There are things to address at both ends of the pitch really.”

2. Who are Blackburn’s key players who Middlesbrouh will need to watch out for?

RS: “Bradley Dack came off the bench to rescue them the other night, scored one and had a hand in the other two, he’s played a lot behind Danny Graham the last couple of years but they’ve gone with Sam Gallagher up front the first two league games.

“That’s taken a bit for him to get used to but he’s pretty deadly when he gets in front of goal.”

3. What system will Blackburn play against Middlesbrough?

RS: “4-2-3-1, they’ve played that for the last couple of years under Mowbray.”

4. Stewart Downing joined Blackburn from Middlesbrough in the summer, how has he done in the first few games?

RS: “Not too bad, he scored the other night.

“There’s probably a chance he’ll start on Saturday, it’ll be him or Joe Rothwell on the left wing.”

5. Blackburn have had a couple of injury concerns, what is the latest on those?

RS: “Tosin Adarabioyo, the Manchester City loanee, is a doubt, Darragh Lenihan has trained the last couple of days so they’re not that well stocked in central defence and could do with one of them coming through.

“It sounds like Lenihan is more likely than Adarabioyo but he’s not ruled either of them out, either of them will partner Derrick Williams or Greg Cunningham who signed on deadline day.”