Blackburn Rovers welcome Premier League high flyers Manchester City to Ewood Park for a televised FA Cup 3rd Round fixture, in what will most certainly be a hotly contested North West Deby.
Rovers go into the game as real underdogs going into the fixture, but will be looking to cause an upset in what is always a superb weekend of Football to welcome in the new year.
The Ewood Park side currently sit in 10th place in the SkyBet Championship, as Rovers will be looking to DJ Campbell and on loan striker Rudy Gestade, who is on loan from Cardiff.
Jordan Rhodes does not start for Rovers today, with growing speculation about his future at Blackburn, so Gary Bowyer has opted to put the Scottish international on the bench for today’s encounter.
Blackburn come into the game after a superb 2-1 victory away at Leeds United, and are in confident mood ahead of a tough teat at home to the oil rich City.
Rovers right-back Todd Kane misses out with a thigh strain but Jason Lowe returns after a one-match suspension.
David Dunn is also out with a thigh strain, and Rovers goalkeeper Paul Robinson starts his first game for Rovers since the December of 2012, after a series of serious injuries.
City come into the fixture in superb form, having won their last twelve games, and in free scoring mood, after scoring an unbelievable 57 goals in 20 Barclays Premier League fixtures this season.
Pellegrini’s side have won their last four games in a row, the last being last weeks 3-2 win away at Swansea City.
Alvaro Negrado will most certainly spearhead City’s attack, with the Spaniard adapting to the English game in a superb manner, and forming a superb partnership with fellow striker Sergio Aguero, leading the goal scoring charts in the meantime.
Team news wise, Costal Pantilimon will replace Joe Hart in goal for the crunch Cup tie.
Manchester City playmaker David Silva returns from suspension but midfielder Jack Rodwell (hamstring) is out.
Strikers Sergio Aguero (calf) and Stevan Jovetic (hamstring), and defenders Micah Richards and Martin Demichelis (hamstring) are also out.
City have four games in the next twelve games, as Prllegrini looks looks to shape his squad for those games.
He said: “We are going to make changes because we are playing too often in the last (few) weeks.
“We are going to try to have a good squad and to win the first game in our FA Cup (campaign) because for our team it is an important cup.
“I said from the beginning of the season if we are going to play in every competition we must play with exactly the same importance.
“The FA Cup is a very traditional competition here in England and in every country of Europe the cup is always an important competition.
“I just told the players it an important test for us, not only for the team but for individual performances.”
Rovers have not won the showpiece since 1928, whilst City will be looking to avenge last years Cup Final defeat to Wigan Athletic.
By Ben Reardon
@BenReardon1
Prediction- Rovers 0 City 2
