With £5 million Turkish entertainer Tuncay storming down the tunnel after being substituted after just seven minutes on the pitch, top scorer Dave Kitson being sent controversially on loan to Middlesbrough, and late collapses costing points against Wolves and Hull, it’s fair to say that the last few weeks have been far from the best for Stoke City. Lack weekend brought hope though, with an uninspired performance, but ultimately a good three points gained against Portsmouth, and with the Potters still sitting a healthy ninth in the Premier League, manager Tony Pulis, players and fans alike will be hopeful that the rollercoaster that is this season continues on the up tomorrow, as they go to Blackburn’s Ewood Park.

Blackburn themselves had been on a high, after claiming a fine 2-0 win away at arch-rivals Bolton a week ago, but a heavy 3-0 defeat at Fulham in midweek brought them crashing back down to earth, and with manager Sam Allardyce away from the touchline as he undergoes chest surgery, their form has been erratic, the Lancashire club currently three points and three places behind the Potters.

Last year’s fixture, coming in late December, was Allardyce’s first as Rovers boss, and one he surely remembers fondly, with his side earning a comfortable 3-0 win. This season Stoke are a far tougher proposition on the road though, and Pulis will be keen to exploit Allardyce’s absence by setting up a typically solid side that, with a bit of luck, can be making the way back to Staffordshire with all three points in the bag this time tomorrow.

He may well do so without captain Abdoulaye Faye, although the Senegalese centre back, for whom Blackburn unsuccessfully bid £4 million in January, returns from suspension for the game. In Faye’s absence against Portsmouth, young right back Andy Wilkinson came into the side, allowing Robert Huth to occupy his preferred central role in place of Faye, and after a strong showing from both players, Pulis may want to stick with a winning formula. Midfielder Glenn Whelan may start after shaking off the groin problem he picked up playing for Ireland nine days ago, while striker James Beattie, who started his career at Ewood Park, should play against his home town club.

The hosts should boast a full squad of players, with defenders Gael Givet and Brett Emerton back in contention after missing the game at Fulham through injury.

Key Battles:

Morten Gamst Pedersen v Andy Wilkinson
Blackburn’s left-sided midfielder Pedersen is integral to much of their attacking play, and will look to unpick Stoke’s defence. Wilkinson was superb against Portsmouth, and would do to continue in the same vein of form if he is to keep the tricky Norwegian quiet. 

Stvhen Nzonzi v Salif Diao:
This week the Stoke official website amazed thousands by publishing a story about Diao’s new gluten free diet how how it’s helping him lose weight. Tomorrow he’ll be out to show that he’s a lean, mean tackling machine as he vies for midfield supremacy with Blackburn’s rangy French youngster N’zonzi.

Christopher Samba v Ricardo Fuller:
Last week Fuller, so often the focal point of Stoke’s attacking intentions, netted the winner against Portsmouth with what was his first Premier League goal of the season, so should be high on confidence for the trip to Blackburn. He’ll have to have his wits about him to get the better of Rovers defender Samba though; there’s little chance he’ll outmuscle the 6′5” Congolese giant.

Blackburn’s Star Man: David Dunn

Dunn is a very reliable player, who in his twelve year career to date has earned himself a reputation as a midfielder skilled both in going forward and in working back to help his side’s defence. A native Lancastrian, Dunn joined the Blackburn academy as a youngster and worked his way into the first team reckoning, making his full debut as an eighteen year-old in September 1998. Over the course of five seasons at Ewood Park, Dunn became a firm fans’ favourite, racking up more than 140 appearances and finding the net an impressive 38 goals. Early in his career he featured regularly for the England Under 21 side, and his good form during the early months of the 2002/03 season led to him earning his only full cap to date, which came as he was brought on as a substitute against Portugal. He soon fell out with then Rovers manager Graeme Souness though, and, under heavy pressure from Souness, chose to leave the club the following summer, joining Birmingham for a fee of £5.5 million, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win over Spurs on his debut. Niggling injuries blighted his time with Birmingham, and he managed just 58 league games, and seven league goals, for the club, before being sold back to Blackburn in January 2002 for £2.2 million. He has since been a regular in the sides of Mark Hughes, Paul Ince and Allardyce, all of whom managed the club since that date, and has been particularly potent this year, netting six goals from eleven appearances to date, including strikes in the derby wins over Bolton and Burnley.

My Prediction:

Blackburn Rovers 0-0 Stoke City – I foresee a dull goalless draw, a result which would be considered decent for the Potters.

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