Premier League preview: Blackburn v Chelsea

Chelsea face Blackburn at Ewood Park on Saturday looking to arrest a worrying run of results for the west London outfit.

The Blues appear to be stumbling after back-to-back losses in the league to Arsenal and Queens Park Rangers were followed by an uninspiring 1-1 draw in the Champions League to Belgian club Racing Genk on Tuesday.

David Luiz’s missed penalty and stutter-step approach in Belgium seemed indicative of Chelsea’s recent form, a run of results manager Andre Villas-Boas will want to stem in a hurry.

Frank Lampard and Juan Mata were used as substitutes midweek and should be restored to the starting line-up for the Blackburn match with Chelsea’s place in the top four under threat.

Didier Drogba is having screws removed from his arm from a previous operation but is ineligible for Rovers’ visit because of suspension.

Blackburn’s 3-3 draw at Norwich on Saturday proved difficult to take for under-fire manager Steve Kean.

Rovers looked certain to pick up three crucial points before Bradley Johnson’s deflected shot and Grant Holt’s controversial stoppage-time penalty stole a point for the Canaries.

Kean remained bullish during the week and insisted the performance at Norwich proved his side are ‘very tight as a group’, denying the club is scared of relegation.

“The players aren’t scared. But sometimes, with a young team, we might just need to see out the matches a bit better,” Kean said.

Kean has been under pressure all season and, with Blackburn winless in five Premier League matches and still sitting in the relegation zone, a loss to Chelsea would throw their season into further disarray.