West Bromwich Albion will look to extend their unbeaten league start in the Sky Bet Championship against Blackburn Rovers at The Hawthorns on Saturday. Blackburn are managed by former Baggies boss Tony Mowbray who guided Albion to the Championship title during his time at the Midlands club.
West Bromwich Albion Look to Extend Unbeaten League Start
Last Time Out: West Bromwich Albion
For the second successive fixture, a late Kenneth Zohore spot-kick rescued a point for West Brom. They pegged back Derby County to earn a 1-1 draw at Pride Park in a game that saw three penalties awarded and Baggies boss Slaven Bilic sent off.
Derby opened the scoring through Martyn Waghorn’s penalty inside five minutes after the striker was brought down by Kieran Gibbs. The Rams were then given a second penalty shortly before half-time when Filip Krovinovic was incorrectly adjudged to have handled the ball. Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone was equal to Waghorn’s second penalty kick, saving at full stretch to his left.
West Brom were then given a contentious penalty of their own when Matheus Pereira went down under a challenge in the box by Max Lowe. Up stepped Zohore to send Derby goalkeeper Kelle Roos the wrong way to net another late equaliser for the Baggies.
Last Time Out: Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn hosted Cardiff City at Ewood Park as the sides played out a goalless draw in the Sky Bet Championship. A first draw of the season for both sides but a third successive clean sheet for Blackburn, who beat Hull City and Middlesbrough 1-0 in their previous two matches.
Joe Ralls and Leandro Bacuna both saw strikes hit the upright but the Bluebirds could not find a way past Rovers goalkeeper Christian Walton. Blackburn also hit the woodwork late on when Derrick Williams’ first-time effort would have sealed all three points but for the crossbar.
Blackburn also featured midweek in the EFL Cup against Sheffield United, exiting the competition following a 2-1 defeat. First-half goals from Richard Stearman and Oliver Norwood helped the Blades reach the EFL Cup third round.
Blackburn striker Adam Armstrong had an early penalty saved at Bramall Lane before Stearman put the Blades ahead. Rovers substitute Sam Gallagher headed home Armstrong’s left-wing cross in the second half, but with just 18 minutes remaining, the Premier League side held on. Tony Mowbray followed the lead of his counterpart for this weekend, also getting sent off in stoppage time for arguing with the referee.
Eyes on Top Six
Despite being placed down in eighth, West Brom are one of four sides left in the league that are yet to lose a game this season. After five games, the Baggies have secured two wins and three draws. They will be planning on making a move for the top six this weekend but to do that they must overcome Blackburn, something they failed to achieve last season, with the first meeting ending in a 1-1 draw, followed by a 2-1 defeat at Ewood Park.
Blackburn have had a mixed start to the new season which has seen them take two wins, one draw and two defeats from their opening five games. They head into this match having gone three league games without a defeat and will fancy themselves to prolong West Brom’s wait for their first home win of the season.
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