Blackburn v West Brom preview

22 May 2009 14:41
Blackburn Rovers welcome already-relegated West Bromwich Albion to Ewood Park on the final day of the Premier League season. Both teams are safe from the drama of 'Survival Sunday' - when two sides from Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Hull City and Sunderland will be relegated - for the correct reasons from Blackburn's perspective, but it is not so rosy for West Brom. Last season's Championship winners were relegated following defeat to Liverpool in their previous outing and the rock-bottom Baggies are again making plans for life in England's second tier. All looked doom and gloom for Blackburn at the start of term, but a change in management from Paul Ince to Sam Allardyce did the job as the one-time Premier League champions now sit six points clear of danger in 15th position. Allardyce is keen to end the season on a high and climb further up the table in order to boost his summer transfer kitty with the additional £750,000-per-place earned in the top flight. Skipper Ryan Nelsen has been ruled out of the match because of a torn calf muscle, sustained in last weekend's defeat at Chelsea. On-loan defender Gael Givet is expected to recover from a calf strain, as is PSV-bound Andre Ooijer, who has a hamstring problem. Strikers Roque Santa Cruz (knee) and Jason Roberts (fractured metatarsal) are again sidelined through injury. West Brom's Paul Robinson and Marek Cech both missed the defeat to Liverpool as the former had an ankle problem and the latter had limped out of the recent victory over Wigan with cramp. James Morrison failed to overcome a heel problem to feature against the Reds, while striker Roman Bednar is suspended. Scott Carson will hope to win back his place in goal after missing out to veteran shot-stopper Dean Kiely of late. Possible starting XIsBlackburn: Robinson, Andrews, Ooijer, Givet, Warnock, Diouf, Grella, Tugay, Pedersen, Samba, McCarthy. West Brom: Kiely, Zuiverloon, Martis, Olsson, Donk, Koren, Valero, Greening, Brunt, Menseguez, Fortune.

Source: SKY_Sports