Premier League preview: Blackburn v Swansea

Protests against Blackburn manager Steve Kean are set to continue when Rovers entertain Swansea City on Saturday.

A 3-1 loss to Stoke City on Saturday extended Blackburn’s winless streak to eight Premier League matches and Kean is sure to attract more vitriol at Ewood Park against the Swans.

Songs, banners and demonstrations against Kean and the club’s Indian owners, Venky’s Group, have been ongoing throughout the season and even when Blackburn banned ‘Kean Out’ banners against Chelsea, Rovers fans still found a way to vent their anger.

During the match – which was Blackburn’s last at home, ending in a 1-0 defeat – Blackburn fans organised for a plane to fly over the stadium with the message ‘Kean Out’ clear for all to see.

But that is not the end of the protests, with Blackburn fans printing thousands of yellow T-shirts with ‘100 percent Rovers, 0 percent Venky’s and Kean’ branded on them for supporters to wear at the Swansea match, with a mass walkout also planned at some stage of the match.

“These protests will be the most intense since they started nearly three months ago as the supporters continue their efforts to try to save the club from ruin,” organisers Glen Mullan and Simon Littler said.

On the pitch, Rovers are in as much crisis as they are off it.

They have shipped 23 goals in their last nine matches and have not kept a clean sheet in 16 Premier League encounters, with their defence now the second-worst in the division.

What would frustrate Kean immensely is the fact that his side are not having problems scoring goals, with the likes of Yakubu and Junior Hoilett playing a key role in a side that has bagged 17 goals in 13 Premier League games this season, which is five more than Swansea.

Youngsters Ruben Rochina and Mauro Formica appear to possess the talent needed to help Blackburn stay up, but at the ages of 23 and 20 respectively – and the fact that both are playing their first season in England – means they are perhaps not best suited to a relegation dogfight.

Rovers are hopeful of welcoming back Chris Samba and Martin Olsson for the Swansea match in the first meeting between the two sides since March 1984.

Swansea have lost just one of their last five matches, that being a 1-0 loss to Manchester United, and Brendan Rodgers’ side have acquitted themselves well this season.

The Welsh outfit have struggled for goals but they should be presented with several opportunities against a confidence-shot Blackburn side.