Preview: Middlesbrough vs. Blackburn Rovers - prediction, team news, lineups

Blackburn Rovers will be looking to bounce back from their first defeat of the Championship season when they travel to Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Just two points separate the two sides at this early stage of the campaign, with Rovers in ninth on seven points and Boro in 12th on five.

Match preview

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After wins over Swansea City and Nottingham Forest, and a draw against Millwall, Blackburn's confidence was high going into their clash with West Bromwich Albion last weekend.

However, they conceded inside the first 30 seconds and went on to lose 2-1 to Valerien Ismael's well-drilled side.

Nonetheless, Tony Mowbray will have been pleased with the start his side have made, particularly considering they have lost last season's top scorer Adam Armstrong.

Armstrong's goals have not yet been missed, with Ben Brereton Diaz netting three in the Championship already, but at the other end of the pitch Rovers have not kept a clean sheet in their last 13 league matches.

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Middlesbrough ended a similar run in their last outing, as a 0-0 draw against Derby County was their first clean sheet in 13 Championship games.

It followed an opening day 1-1 draw against Fulham, a 2-1 win over Bristol City and a 3-2 defeat to Queens Park Rangers.

It has not quite been the start that Neil Warnock perhaps hoped for as he seeks a ninth career promotion, but the 72-year-old will know more than anyone that several twists and turns will lie ahead throughout the campaign.

Warnock is still hopeful of adding to his squad before the transfer window shuts next week, while returning injured players will also boost Boro's ranks.

The Teesside outfit have only won one of their last 12 games against Blackburn, and Rovers triumphed 1-0 in this fixture last season.

Team News

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Middlesbrough's Duncan Watmore could be in line for his first appearance since the opening weekend after shaking off a calf injury, but it seems unlikely that he will be risked from the start.

Summer signing Martin Payero has been limited to just two appearances off the bench so far, but Warnock has admitted that it could take the Argentine a couple of months to adapt to the English game before he features regularly.

Isaiah Jones continues to impress on the left wing in what is shaping up to be his breakthrough season; he has three assists in four games.

Tony Mowbray handed a debut to 19-year-old Liverpool loanee Leighton Clarkson against West Brom and was impressed with the midfielder's contribution, so he may keep his place.

However, there is now further competition for places in the middle of the park for Rovers, as Ian Poveda has signed on loan from Leeds United.

Ryan Nyambe is not expected to be risked after suffering from a hamstring strain, instead he is likely to return after the international break along with Bradley Johnson and Joe Rankin-Costello.

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:
Lumley; Peltier, McNair, Fry, Bola; Howson; Dijksteel, Crooks, Tavernier, Jones; Ikpeazu

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:
Kaminski; Carter, Lenihan, Ayala, Pickering; Travis, Rothwell; Buckley, Clarkson, Diaz; Gallagher

We say: Middlesbrough 0-0 Blackburn Rovers

Led by two of the Championship's most experienced managers, we should see a typically physical second-tier encounter between these two teams. It may only be one goal that wins it, but we think it could end up as a stalemate.