Blackburn V Middlesbrough at Ewood Park : Match Preview

01 November 2013 08:31
Blackburn V Middlesbrough - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.


Double ban blow for Blackburn

DJ Campbell joins Grant Hanley in being suspended when Blackburn host Middlesbrough in the Sky Bet Championship.


Centre-back Hanley completes a three-game ban for the red card he picked up against Wigan while striker Campbell starts a similar-length suspension for his dismissal against Blackpool, which sparked a melee that has since led to both clubs being charged by the FA.


Dickson Etuhu played an hour in the Lancashire Senior Cup in midweek while fellow midfielder David Dunn, also suffering from a knee injury, is back in full training so both players could make the squad.


The likes of goalkeeper Paul Robinson (back), midfielder Ruben Rochina (shoulder) and Northern Ireland international Corry Evans (ankle) are expected to miss out again.


Interim Middlesbrough boss Mark Venus has no injury problems for the trip.


Venus emerged from his first game in charge in the wake of Tony Mowbray's departure with a morale-boosting 4-0 victory over Doncaster at the Riverside Stadium. But more importantly, he did so with a full squad from which to choose ahead of the game at Ewood Park.


Venus opted to make six changes with George Friend, Frazer Richardson, Seb Hines, Jacob Butterfield, Dean Whitehead and Lukas Jutkiewicz making way for Jonathan Woodgate, Daniel Ayala, Rhys Williams, Richard Smallwood, Mustapha Carayol and Marvin Emnes, and reaped the rewards of a series of bold decisions.


It would be no surprise if he kept faith with the men who claimed the club's biggest victory of the season to date as Boro attempt to drag themselves into the promotion race.


Source: PA