Championship

Ewood Park

Saturday 21st August 2021 - 15:00
Blackburn
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West Brom
Stream on WBA TV
Key Events

Blackburn preview

The Baggies are back in action at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday afternoon (ko 3pm) following Wednesday’s blistering Hawthorns victory against the Blades.

Albion delivered a stunning performance in B71, taking Sheffield United apart 4-0 under the lights thanks to strikes from Dara O’Shea, Alex Mowatt and Callum Robinson after Jack Robinson’s early own goal.

And that midweek success means Valérien Ismaël’s side have the opportunity to claim a third consecutive win up at Ewood Park this weekend – a ground the Baggies haven’t triumphed at since December 2011.

How to follow the game

WBA Radio will be on hand as ever to talk you through all of the action as it happens live at Ewood Park.

Fans will need a My Albion account to access full commentary. Those who haven’t signed up already can do so here. Supporters can purchase an Audio Match Pass here.

Live commentary starts from 15 minutes before kick-off and will be accessible through the live match centre or WBA TV.

Similarly, you can get your fix of Baggies-biased commentary for every league game by getting a Matchday Season Pass here, or even spread the cost with a Monthly Pass!

Fans based overseas can watch a live stream of Saturday's game. Seasonal match passes are still available at the Early Bird price of £140 or you can buy a Match Pass for £10 at wba.co.uk/video/packages.

A monthly pass can also be purchased for £25.

You’ll be able to access the stream through the Live Match Centre or the West Bromwich Albion app.

If you have any issues registering or accessing your My Albion account please contact myalbion@wbafc.co.uk.

If you have technical issues accessing your stream, please contact wbatvsupport@streamamg.com. 

WBA TV Matchday

Opposition

Former Baggies boss Tony Mowbray is now into his sixth season as Rovers boss.

The 57-year-old, who won the Championship with Albion in 2007/08, has helped the club re-establish itself in the second tier of English football, finishing 15th last season.

Blackburn have made an impressive start to the current campaign, picking up seven points from their opening three matches.

Rovers beat Swansea 2-1 at home on the opening day before drawing 1-1 at Millwall last Saturday. That result was followed up by an eye-catching 2-1 win against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Wednesday night, with Daniel Ayala and Darragh Lenihan both on target. 

Classic match

Albion's last win at Ewood Park was a 2-1 triumph in December, 2011.

James Morrison's spectacular volley put the Baggies ahead but Scott Dann bundled home an equaliser with less than 20 minutes remaining.

However, Albion weren't to be denied all three points and won it thanks to a beauty from Peter Odemwingie. 

 

Did you know?

Albion will want to improve their recent record up at Ewood Park. 

In the ten games the Baggies have faced Blackburn in Lancashire since the turn of the century, Rovers have won five, drawn four and lost just once to Albion.

You would be forgiven for expecting plenty of goals. Both teams have scored in all three of Blackburn’s Championship games this season, while the Baggies have bagged nine – more than any other side.

And finally, in all of the last eight head-to-heads, there have been at least two goals scored in each game.

Away kit colours

Our black away kit will make its competitive debut at Blackburn on Saturday.

Not got yours yet? Order it here.

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Report main pic

Albion rounded off a perfect week by beating Blackburn Rovers 2-1 in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday afternoon.

Alex Mowatt’s screamer and a Matty Phillips tap-in ensured the Baggies were firmly in control following another superb first-half display.

Rovers’ Ben Brereton Diaz halved the deficit on 51 minutes but the visitors managed to see out a potentially testing second period and earn an impressive victory.

The result ensures Valérien Ismaël’s men have picked up 10 points from the first four fixtures – something Albion haven’t done since the start of the 2009/10 season.

Matt Phillips celebrates Albion's second of the afternoon

The boss opted to make one change from Wednesday’s fantastic 4-0 triumph against Sheffield United, bringing Phillips in for Grady Diangana.

And it was Phillips who provided the cross for a simply stunning opener inside one minute – the winger teeing up Mowatt to fizz a spectacular volley into the top corner after Jake Livermore had struck the crossbar seconds earlier.

Alex Mowatt is congratulated for giving the Baggies an early lead

Albion, as we’ve come to expect under Ismaël, were dominating the early stages. Alex Clarke saw a looping header drop just wide, Thomas Kaminski’s fingertips denied Callum Robinson and Conor Townsend might have done better with a free header at the back post.

Blackburn tried to get back in the game ahead of the break but failed to test Sam Johnstone. Instead, the Baggies extended their advantage during first-half stoppage time thanks to Karlan Grant’s whipped cross and Phillips’ close-range finish.

Phillips thanks Karlan Grant after setting up Albion's second goal

The hosts came out firing at the beginning of the second period and pulled one back straight away through Chilean international Brereton Diaz.

The clash was now end-to-end as each team searched for the all-important next goal and shortly after the hour mark it nearly fell Albion’s way, Grant hitting the woodwork in front of the almost 2,500 travelling Baggies fans.

Townsend then curled a free-kick over and Robinson had a powerful shot well saved before Darnell Furlong smashed the post 10 minutes from time.

Despite Albion’s best efforts the third just would not arrive. In the end it didn’t matter, though, and they saw the match out to claim all three points at Ewood Park.

Albion: Johnstone, O’Shea, Bartley, Clarke (Ajayi 42); Furlong, Livermore, Mowatt, Townsend; Robinson, Phillips (Diangana 61), Grant (Tulloch 90).

Substitutes: Button, Kipré, Reach, Castro.