Prediction: Match to end in 1-1 draw
Best Odds: 11/2
Bookmaker: Zetbet
West Bromwich Albion and Blackburn Rovers will lock horns with each other in the Championship next weekend. The match between Ryan Mason’s side and Valerien Ismael’s side will be held at The Hawthorns and is scheduled to kick off at 3pm UK time next Saturday.
West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion are a major club in the Championship and will have automatic promotion to the Premier League as their main target this season. The Baggies ended up ninth in the Championship table last season, and under new manager Ryan Mason, they will be keen on at least finishing in the playoffs.
This is Mason’s first permanent managerial role, having previously been the Tottenham interim boss. It will be a learning process for the 34-year-old manager, but he will have to learn fast and get things right from day one.
Mason told talkSPORT: “Naturally, when you go into a new job and environment, you want to get results and get people to believe in what you are trying to create.
“The earlier you can get that, the better. We have got two home games in the first two games – including the cup.
“We understand the importance of these matches and hopefully we can start the season well to give us a good platform to kick on.”
The former Tottenham Hotspur first-team coach added: “I feel like it is always a difficult and tight league. It is exciting, you obviously need to start the season well and try to build up momentum.
“The reality is, if you look at the history of it, as long as you are within touching distance in the last couple of months then anything can happen.”
Team News:
West Bromwich Albion are likely to line up in a 4-3-3 formation against Blackburn Rovers. Wildsmith will be in goal for the Baggies and will have Furlong, Phillips, Heggem and Styles in front of him in defence. Molumby, Price and Mowatt will be the three players in midfield. Fellow, Maja and Johnston will be the three forwards.
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers have lofty ambitions of playing in the Premier League, and they will feel that this is the season when they get promoted.
Rovers finished seventh in the Championship table last season and narrowly missed out on the playoff spots. Valerien Ismael’s side will be determined to go again and get the job done in the 2025-26 campaign.
Ismael told The Lancashire Telegraph: “No, there is always competition for positions. It is not about the starting XI but about the group of 25 players that we want to build.
“Those guys will be going to war in the Championship and we will need everyone. You have seen we have changed things in pre-season. Sean (McLoughlin) has played, then we put Scott (Wharton) in, then Sean again.
“We took Callum (Brittain) out, we put Ryan (Alebiosu) in. They bring something completely different. Picks (Pickering), the performance is very solid. We see what everyone will bring and so this is what we want to do.
“Everyone is ready and we will need everyone. It doesn’t mean that the XI we play with in our first game will be the standard XI. We will have to rotate.
“We want to build connections and consistency in our team but we also need a squad for a Championship season. It’s never about just 11 players if you want to have success.
“The guys have given everything and we want to give rewards for the players who are performing.”
Team News:
Blackburn Rovers are likely to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation against West Bromwich Albion. Balazs Toth will be in goal for Rovers and will have Callum Brittain, Dominic Hyam, Scott Wharton and Yuri Ribeiro in front of him in defence. Sondre Tronstad and Lewis Travis will be the two holding midfielders. Todd Cantwell, Ryan Hednes, Dion De Neve will be the three attacking players, with Yuki Ohashi leading the line for the visiting team.
Key Factors to Consider
West Bromwich Albion won 15 of their 46 Championship matches last season.
West Bromwich Albion lost 12 of their 46 Championship matches last season.
West Bromwich Albion scored 57 goals and conceded 47 goals in 46 Championship games last season.
Blackburn Rovers won 19 of their 46 Championship games in the 2024-25 campaign.
Blackburn Rovers scored 53 goals and conceded 48 goals in 46 Championship games in the 2024-25 campaign.
Conclusion
Both West Bromwich Albion and Blackburn Rovers will be among the teams aiming to finish in the Championship playoff spots this season. It promises to be a very competitive game of football and is very likely to end in a draw.
Prediction: Match to end in 1-1 draw
Best Odds: 11/2
Bookmaker: Zetbet
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