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

Blackburn Rovers host Swansea City in the Championship on Tuesday night, with both teams looking to extend their recent good run of form.

Tony Mowbray's men were held to a 1-1 draw by Stoke City last time out, meaning they are unbeaten in their last three outings, while the Swans saw off Barnsley 2-0 at Oakwell.

Match preview

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There are usually goals when Blackburn play, and lots of them. The Ewood Park outfit are the division's highest scorers, with their 39 efforts making them one of the most entertaining sides in the second tier.

Diminutive striker Adam Armstrong is responsible for 16 of those strikes. The former Newcastle United academy graduate has been in scintillating form this season and will be looking to add to his tally in midweek.

Despite their incredible forward line, Mowbray's side are currently lingering in mid-table. Their 33-point haul after 24 games has left them seven points behind Reading, who occupy the final playoff place.

The reason for that has largely been down to their defensive woes. Rovers have conceded 28 efforts to date, which means their rear guard is more porous than Wayne Rooney's Derby County, who are sitting second bottom.

If Rovers want to mount a serious assault on the top six, then they will have to find a better balance between defence and attack. Tuesday may be a good place to start in that respect given their opponent's relative struggles in front of goal.

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Although Swansea are sitting pretty in second place in the Championship table, they have actually scored 10 fewer goals than Blackburn.

Steve Cooper's side have built their success this season on an extremely solid base. In fact, the Welsh outfit have the finest defensive record in the division, meaning this midweek clash will pit the league's best attack against the league's best defence.

It should make for an entertaining affair, where an unstoppable force comes up against an immovable object.

The 2013 League Cup winners have responded to their shock 2-0 defeat at Pride Park in mid-December in impressive fashion.

Saturday's victory made it six games unbeaten for the Swans and gave them a four-point cushion over third-placed Bournemouth.

Seeing off a dangerous team like Blackburn would be another significant step towards a return to the Premier League, and one that Cooper will be keen for his side to make.

Blackburn Rovers Championship form: WLDLWD
Blackburn Rovers form (all competitions): LDLWLD

Swansea City Championship form: LWWDWW
Swansea City form (all competitions): WWDWWW

Team News

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Blackburn are set to be without several first-team stars once again with the likes of Elliott Bennett, Joe Rankin-Costello, Scott Wharton and Corry Evans all unavailable through injury.

Bradley Dack made his first start of the season against Stoke, but the midfielder is unlikely to be able to feature from the off on Tuesday, meaning former Tottenham man Lewis Holtby could return to the starting XI.

Cooper almost has the luxury of a fully-fit squad to choose from, with reserve goalkeeper Steven Benda the only absentee.

That means Korey Smith is likely to start behind a strike duo of Jamal Lowe and Andre Ayew, a trio that have been coming into some good form of late.

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:
Kaminski; Douglas, Branthwaite, Lenihan, Nyambe; Johnson, Travis, Holtby; Elliott, Armstrong, Rothwell

Swansea City possible starting lineup:
Woodman; Guehi, Cabango, Naughton; Bidwell, Fulton, Grimes, Roberts; Smith; Lowe, Ayew

We say: Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Swansea City

Blackburn's attack and Swansea's defence will face their toughest tests of the season so far and could end up cancelling each other out. Lowe and Armstrong are two of the division's deadliest finishers, and the forwards will be pivotal to their side's chances on Tuesday.

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