Blackburn’s last away trip was a 7-1 defeat to Arsenal. Will their trip to the Etihad end the same way?
In the last 13 months Steve Kean’s Blackburn have lost 7-1 twice, with the first being a nightmare trip to Old Trafford where Dimitar Berbatov netted five times.
Bearing in mind Blackburn’s last away trip, and Manchester City’s 4-0 demolition of a side so accomplished as Porto in midweek, supporters should not hold out much hope on Saturday evening.
Yet football is a quirky game, and Blackburn crumbling at Arsenal was the exception rather than the rule this season.
They battled to a draw at Anfield, and came away with a remarkable but deserved 3-2 win at Old Trafford on New Year’s Eve.
Steve Kean’s side have been battling in the face of adversity all season, and will have to overcome the odds if they are to escape with at least a point here.
The bookies give Blackburn odds of 14/1 to emerge victorious, but it feels even more unlikely than that.
Since Yaya Toure has come back into the City side they appear to have stepped up a gear, and Aguero and Dzeko are both firing.
David Silva remains the model of consistency while at the back they appear more solid than ever.
Blackburn will be reliant on star man Yakubu if they are to get anything out of the game, and need to avoid conceding an early goal.
One of the big questions is what sort of team will Roberto Mancini pick?
Dzeko-Balotelli-Aguero remain impossible to separate, and will each want to keep scoring knowing that Carlos Tevez is back to compete for his place.
David Pizarro’s cameo against Porto has thrown him into contention, although Mancini may prefer a proven quantity in the Premier League in James Milner.
Toure vs N’Zonzi will battle it out in the centre of midfield, and it will be a real test for the Blackburn player, who scored last time out against QPR.
One advantage for Rovers is that they had had two weeks rest since their last fixture, while City have played two high-intensity games against Porto since.
Perhaps Balckburn would have liked to keep the momentum from their win and play straight away, but their players should be fresh heading into the game.
If they do manage to win, it may be seen as Steve Kean’s greatest achievement to date.
Will City roll Blackburn over or can Rovers spring a surprise?
image: © Ronnie Macdonald
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