Blackburn's injury toll tests them at West Brom

Blackburn arrive in West Bromwich on Saturday with a squad badly weakened by injury, and that may be the decisive factor in this Championship clash. Andrew Forshaw (hip), Matt Litherland (muscle), Lewis Miller (Achilles tendon), Yuto Ohashi and Yuri Ribeiro (both hamstrings) will all miss the trip. Steven Wharton is a doubt with his own Achilles problem.

A mid-table game with little room for error

West Brom sit sixth with 17 points from 10 matches, while Blackburn are ninth on 15. Both sides have a goal difference of +2, so the gap between them is narrow and a single result could shift the picture considerably across a 24-team league.

Form lines pointing in different directions

West Brom have been stronger on the road than at home this season, collecting three of their five wins away from The Hawthorns. Their 12 goals scored and 10 conceded over ten games reflect a side that is competitive without being prolific.

Blackburn have been the more potent attack lately. They have scored nine goals in their last five matches, an average of 1.8 per game, and their season tally of 15 is only three behind West Brom’s. Their defensive record has been less reliable, however, and they have conceded 13 times in the league so far.

Meetings that rarely produce goals

The head-to-head record is tight. Of the last five meetings, two ended goalless, including the most recent at Ewood Park in April. Blackburn won 2-0 at West Brom in February 2025, while West Brom took the August 2025 fixture 1-0. West Brom’s 4-1 win in January 2024 is the only one-sided result in the sequence.

Injuries reshape Blackburn’s options

West Brom have their own absences to contend with. Nathan Galves (knee) and Matt Johnston (broken leg) are both out. But the scale of Blackburn’s problem is greater, with five confirmed absences and another player in doubt. Their hamstring and Achilles injuries in particular will limit depth in midfield and defence, and a side already running on fewer options may struggle to sustain pressure for 90 minutes.

Our prediction

West Brom 1-0 Blackburn. The hosts have the edge in quality and the more settled squad, and Blackburn’s depleted lineup may struggle to create enough chances away from home. Expect a cautious, tight contest, with one moment deciding it.