Blackburn Rovers vs West Bromwich Albion

13th August

West Bromwich Albion travel to Blackburn Rovers on Sunday afternoon for their third Sky Bet Championship match of the season.

Steve Bruce's Baggies have been held to two 1-1 draws in their two opening league games against Middlesbrough and then Watford, however they did secure a 1-0 triumph over Sheffield United at The Hawthorns in the Carabao Cup on Thursday night.

Sunday's hosts have made a blistering start to the campaign, winning three out of three in league and cup.

Blackburn are the only team left in the Championship with a 100 per cent win ratio after earning victories over QPR and Swansea City, while in midweek, Rovers recorded safe passage to the second round of the Carabao Cup with a convincing 4-0 success at home to Hartlepool United.

Ewood Park is the venue for Sunday's showdown with Rovers

Follow the match live

Supporters can listen to live commentary of Albion's clash against Blackburn on WBA Radio with an audio match pass.

Audio passes can be purchased for £2.50 by clicking here.

Supporters outside the UK, the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey can watch the match live on WBA TV with a video match pass.

Video match passes cost £10 and can be purchased here.

Our opponents

Denmark legend Jon Dahl Tomasson couldn't have wished for a better start to life as Blackburn Rovers boss having won all three of his first three games in charge.

Tomasson, who is fifth-highest on the list of appearances made and joint-first on the list of goals scored for his nation, was appointed in the summer following previous managerial stints in Sweden and the Netherlands.

Rovers boast victories over QPR, Swansea City and Hartlepool ahead of Sunday's showdown at Ewood Park, and the hosts will be determined to make it four wins from four as they set their sights on maintaining top spot come the end of matchweek three.

Blackburn haven't played in England's top flight since the 2011/12 campaign, but there's optimism in the town that this year just might be the year Rovers return to the Premier League.

If that's to happen, goals from Chile forward Ben Brereton Díaz are going to be crucial. The 23-year-old hit 22 last season and has already opened up his account for the new campaign.

Jon Dahl Tomasson in action for his nation against England at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan

From the Albion Archive

Albion earned a narrow 2-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers in December 2011 thanks to two special second-half strikes from James Morrison and Peter Odemwingie.

One for the stattos

Three of the last four meetings between Blackburn and Albion at Ewood Park have ended in a 2-1 scoreline.

The Baggies claimed 2-1 victories against Sunday's hosts in December 2011 and August 2021, with Rovers' 2-1 success coming on New Year's Day in 2019.

The other match finished 1-1 in July 2020.

Alex Mowatt celebrates his strike at Blackburn — Alex Mowatt celebrates scoring at Ewood Park last season

Colours for the road

The Baggies will wear their green and yellow away kit for the second successive match on the road.

Albion kicked their campaign off at Middlesbrough in green and yellow, and Steve Bruce's side will wear their traditional away colours once again at Blackburn.

The custom-made strip, which honours club legend Cyrille Regis, is emblazoned with inspirational quotes from the man himself, his autograph and the Cyrille Regis Legacy Trust logo.

The club will make a donation to The Cyrille Regis Legacy Trust for every away shirt sold and will support the charity throughout the season with fundraising events and activities.

You can order it here.

Boro v Albion - John Swift goal celebration — The Baggies are back in green and yellow on Sunday

14th August

Albion were beaten 2-1 by Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Sunday afternoon.

Goals either side of half time from Ben Brereton Diaz and Sam Gallagher were enough to earn the hosts all three Sky Bet Championship points, despite Grady Diangana’s second period strike.

Steve Bruce’s men return to action this Wednesday when they host Cardiff City.

The boss named an unchanged team from Monday night’s last league encounter, opting to stick by the XI who put in an impressive performance against Watford.

And his side had the better of the opening 30 minutes, Darnell Furlong and Diangana both nodding dangerous Jed Wallace deliveries over and John Swift testing Rovers goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski via a dipping free-kick.

Yet, with their first effort at goal, it was Rovers who found a breakthrough before the interval - Brereton Diaz curling home from the edge of the box to send them into half-time ahead.

Blackburn’s Chilean international then turned from scorer to provider, his run and pass finding Gallagher to double their advantage immediately after the break.

But Albion found a way back into the contest just short of the hour mark – Diangana’s shot taking a deflection and wrong-footing Kaminski, giving the 2,000 travelling supporters hope that a comeback may be possible.

Bruce’s triple substitution, bringing on Okay Yokuslu, Matt Phillips and Callum Robinson, signalled his intent, however the hosts were holding firm by breaking up the game at every available opportunity.

Kaminski did well to deny Karlan Grant during a barrage of Baggies attacks, and Wallace volleyed over as the referee indicated 11 minutes of added time.

Though the visitors threw everything at Rovers that elusive goal equaliser wouldn’t come – consigning Albion to their first Championship defeat this season in Lancashire.

Albion: Button; Furlong (Phillips 61), Ajayi, O’Shea, Townsend; Molumby (Robinson 61), Livermore (Yokuslu 61); Wallace, Swift (Reach 90), Diangana, Grant.

Substitutes: Palmer, Bartley, Gardner-Hickman.

Sunday 14th August 2022 - 15:00