Championship · Matchday 14
Blackburn
Doha time
Stoke City

Blackburn’s home edge meets Stoke’s defensive resilience

Blackburn’s stronger home record faces a Stoke side with the better league position and a tighter recent defence. The contrast could make a close contest at Ewood Park.

📍 Ewood Park

Preview written: · Team news checked:

Match facts

Recent form

BlackburnWWLWL
Stoke CityWLWDW

Last 5 league games, latest on the right

Goals per game

·ScoredConceded
Blackburn1.51.5
Stoke City1.51.2

PreviaXI model

Blackburn41%Draw30%Stoke City29%

Model confidence: Open game

Predicted score
1-0
Expected goals (model)
1.29 – 1.03
Double chance
1X · 71%12 70% · X2 59%
Over 2.5 goals
41%Over 1.5: 68% · Over 3.5: 20%
Both teams score
47%
Clean sheet
36% – 28%Blackburn–Stoke City
Half-time result
X · 46%1 31% · 2 23%
Half-time / full-time
1/1 · 24%X/X 19% · 2/2 16%
Expected corners
10.95.9 – 5.0 · Over 9.5: 64%
Expected cards
4.12.0 – 2.1 · Over 3.5: 57%
Most likely scores
  1. 1-114%
  2. 1-012%
  3. 0-011%
  4. 0-19%
  5. 2-18%

Statistical model based on expected goals (xG), results and match statistics from the last two seasons. For information only. How our model works →

Why the model leans towards Blackburn

  • Power ratings: Blackburn -0.27 goals per game (18th of 24 in Championship), Stoke City -0.29 (20th).
  • Blackburn's attack (1.12 goals per game) meets Stoke City's defence (1.40 conceded per game).
  • Stoke City's attack (1.11) meets Blackburn's defence (1.39).
  • Home advantage in this competition: home sides score about 22% more goals.
  • Put together, the model expects 1.29 – 1.03 goals: Blackburn 41%, draw 30%, Stoke City 29%.

Power ratings: Championship →

Key trends

  • 6 of Blackburn’s last 8 matches had over 2.5 goals.
  • Stoke City have kept a clean sheet in each of their last 3 matches.
  • Stoke City are unbeaten in the last 4 meetings with Blackburn.

Absences

Blackburn

  • OutA. Forshaw · Hip Injury
  • OutM. Litherland · Muscle Injury
  • OutL. Miller · Achilles Tendon Injury
  • DoubtfulR. Morishita · Injury

Stoke City

  • OutA. Ampah · Knee Injury
  • OutE. Bocat · Injury
  • OutA. Cresswell · Knee Injury
  • OutE. Galbraith · Yellow Cards
  • OutS. Gallagher · Injury

Injury and suspension list from our data provider, updated every 6 hours. It can change before kick-off.

Chance to score

Blackburn

  • A. Guðjohnsen9 goals in 12 games38%
  • O. Afolayan5 goals in 14 games21%
  • R. Morishita2 goals in 13 games10%

Stoke City

  • J. McGlynn2 goals in 8 games12%
  • J. Devenny2 goals in 8 games12%
  • R. Boženík3 goals in 11 games11%

Model estimate: each player’s season goals per minute compared with his team’s, applied to the model’s expected goals for this match and his usual minutes. Players listed as out are left out.

Season stats

·BlackburnStoke City
·AllHomeAllAway
Won-drawn-lost5-3-54-0-27-2-43-1-2
Goals scored per game1.461.831.541.33
Goals conceded per game1.541.171.231.67
xG per game0.981.451.000.89
xG against per game1.771.281.462.07
Scored in85%100%92%100%
Clean sheets23%17%38%17%
Failed to score15%0%8%0%
Both teams scored69%83%62%83%
Over 1.5 goals85%100%77%83%
Over 2.5 goals77%83%62%67%
Over 3.5 goals38%17%31%33%
Shots per game11.214.711.912.7
Shots on target per game3.84.83.73.8
Shots on target34%33%31%30%
Possession47%46%47%43%
Passes per game406.8417.5373.5342.8
Pass accuracy79%80%77%78%
Corners per game5.96.04.84.0
Corners against per game5.85.75.36.5
Cards per game2.52.82.22.7
Fouls per game11.110.013.113.3

League matches this season (Championship). Per-game averages; % = share of matches.

When goals come

Blackburn

  • 0-153 / 3
  • 16-303 / 3
  • 31-454 / 2
  • 46-606 / 4
  • 61-750 / 3
  • 76-90+2 / 2

Usual formation: 4-2-3-1

Stoke City

  • 0-154 / 1
  • 16-305 / 3
  • 31-453 / 0
  • 46-603 / 4
  • 61-751 / 3
  • 76-90+3 / 6

Usual formation: 3-4-3

Goals scored (green) and conceded (orange) by 15-minute period, league matches this season.

Championship table

#TeamPWDLGoalsGDPtsRecent form
1Middlesbrough1384130:17+1328WWDWW
2Swansea1382320:13+726WLLWW
3Wolves1373323:16+724WWDWL
4West Brom1373319:14+524WDWWL
5Southampton1383228:13+1523WWDWW
6Birmingham1365223:13+1023WLWWW
7Stoke City1372420:16+423WDWLW
8West Ham1364333:18+1522LLWWD
9QPR1355321:16+520LWLWD
10Sheffield Utd1354417:15+219WDWLW
11Portsmouth1354416:15+119DWDWW
12Millwall1353523:21+218WLDLW
13Blackburn1353519:20-118LWLWW
14Bristol City1353515:17-218WDLLD
15Norwich1350823:24-115WWLLL
16Lincoln1343614:23-915LWDLL
17Cardiff1335519:20-114LWDWL
18Wrexham1335515:19-414LLWLD
19Bolton1342718:26-814LLDWL
20Charlton1335511:21-1014LLLDD
21Watford1332812:23-1111LLWLL
22Burnley1316617:25-89DLLDW
23Derby1314811:25-147LDLLD
24Preston13121010:27-175LDLLL

Table as of

Next matches

Blackburn

  • Sat 7 NovBlackburn – West HamChampionship
  • Sun 22 NovBurnley – BlackburnChampionship
  • Wed 25 NovWatford – BlackburnChampionship

Stoke City

  • Sat 7 NovPortsmouth – Stoke CityChampionship
  • Sat 21 NovStoke City – BirminghamChampionship
  • Wed 25 NovStoke City – MillwallChampionship

Head-to-head: last 10 meetings

Blackburn 3 wins · 2 draws · Stoke City 5 wins

  • 11/04/2026Stoke City1-1BlackburnChampionship
  • 04/10/2025Blackburn1-1Stoke CityChampionship
  • 12/03/2025Stoke City1-0BlackburnChampionship
  • 06/11/2024Blackburn0-2Stoke CityChampionship
  • 10/02/2024Blackburn3-1Stoke CityChampionship
  • 25/11/2023Stoke City0-3BlackburnChampionship
  • 10/03/2023Stoke City3-2BlackburnChampionship
  • 27/08/2022Blackburn0-1Stoke CityChampionship
  • 18/04/2022Blackburn0-1Stoke CityChampionship
  • 27/11/2021Stoke City0-1BlackburnChampionship

A gap to close at Ewood Park

Blackburn have a chance to narrow the gap to Stoke in the Championship table, but their home advantage meets a visiting side that has been more consistent across the campaign. Stoke sit seventh on 23 points, five clear of 13th-placed Blackburn after 13 matches.

The key contrast is clear: Blackburn’s home record offers a platform, while Stoke arrive with a stronger overall points return and fewer goals conceded. Blackburn have won four of six at Ewood Park; Stoke have won three of six away from home.

Stoke’s recent defensive edge

Both teams have scored seven goals across their last five matches, but their defensive records differ sharply. Blackburn have conceded eight in that spell, compared with four for Stoke. That recent resilience complements Stoke’s season total of 16 goals conceded, while Blackburn have let in 20.

Blackburn’s 11 goals in six home league matches show they can make their ground count. Stoke, meanwhile, have taken seven wins from 13 games overall and have four clean sheets, against Blackburn’s three. The visitors’ main vulnerability is away from home, where they have conceded 10 goals in six matches.

Recent meetings have been tight

The last two Championship meetings ended 1-1, including the most recent encounter in April. Stoke won 2-0 at Ewood Park in November 2024, while Blackburn’s latest home win in this five-match sequence was a 3-1 result in February 2024.

Absences on both sides

Blackburn will be without A. Forshaw, M. Litherland and L. Miller, while R. Morishita is questionable. Stoke are without A. Ampah, E. Bocat, A. Cresswell, E. Galbraith and S. Gallagher.

Blackburn’s home attack against Stoke’s back line

Blackburn’s four home wins offer reason for confidence, but Stoke’s four clean sheets and recent run of conceding just four goals in five matches point to a difficult test. The visitors’ away defence has been less secure than their overall record, giving Blackburn an opening if they can turn home pressure into clear chances.

Our prediction

Blackburn’s home advantage gives them a narrow edge, while Stoke’s defensive improvement should keep the match close. PreviaXI’s model leans towards the hosts, and a low-scoring game looks likelier than an open contest.

Blackburn 1-0 Stoke City

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