ROVERS MUST TIGHTEN UP LEAKY DEFENCE

DESPITE these two clubs not having met in the league since 1980, they find themselves in a similar position two games short of the season’s halfway point.

Both began steadily if inconsistently before impressive runs that ended last week lifted them into play-off contention. Fresh from promotion, Brentford are the Championship’s surprise package, despite defeat at Huddersfield last week. Their biggest problem now is over-expectation after five wins from five in November earned Mark Warburton the manager of the month award and catapulted them into play-off contention.

Having finished eighth last term, Blackburn’s position on the play-off periphery is less surprising. They could easily have been nestled inside the top six before this game, after an injury-time winner cost them at Sheffield Wednesday last week, but while Rudy Gestede and Jordan Rhodes are a fine pairing, they need to improve defensively to mount a promotion challenge.