Blackburn Rovs v Chelsea

Last updated : 19 March 2010 By BBC Sport

Chelsea keepers Peter Cech and Hilario have returned to training and are in contention to replace Ross Turnbull, who has played in their absence.

Didier Drogba is available as his ban for his Champions League sending-off applies to European football only.

Blackburn

Doubtful: Givet (groin)

Injured/unavailable: Di Santo (ineligible under loan rules), Grella (calf), Jacobsen (groin), Nelsen (knee) Robinson (calf)

Chelsea

Injured: Bosingwa (knee), A Cole (ankle), Essien (knee)

 MATCH PREVIEW

With Chelsea's Champions League sores still to heal, Carlo Ancelotti takes his wounded side to Ewood Park - the scene of his first trophy disappointment as a manager in English football.

The pressure is on Chelsea and not us. Of course we could win - why not?

Chris Samba, Blackburn defender

 Three months have passed since Chelsea crashed out of the League Cup quarter-finals to Blackburn on penalties, and with their Champions League hopes over for another year the Blues have only the league title and FA Cup to concentrate on.

Ancelotti's side thumped Rovers 5-0 at Stamford Bridge last October but Blackburn are a different proposition at home, as they proved when they largely outplayed Chelsea in the League Cup.

Rovers have lost only twice in the league at Ewood Park all season and look likely to have a huge say in the title race. Sam Allardyce's men entertain all three title-chasers in the space of the next six weeks as they look to secure a top ten finish.

However, injury to Paul Robinson has rocked a Rovers side who have kept three clean sheets in their last four home league games. It is a big test for understudy Jason Brown, who has started only three league games since his Bosman free transfer from Gillingham in June 2006.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Chelsea have won all five of their recent league games with Blackburn since a 0-0 home draw in September 2007.

• Rovers' last win against the Blues was at Ewood Park in May 2006, when Steven Reid netted the winner. That is also Rovers' last goal against them.

• The Blues enjoyed an emphatic 5-0 win over Blackburn at Stamford Bridge last October, their second biggest league win this season.

• Chelsea beat Blackburn 1-0 in the FA Youth Cup semi-final first leg last Wednesday night.

 

Can Blackburn's home form disrupt Chelsea's title charge?

 Blackburn

• Rovers have managed four successive home wins. They have kept clean sheets in three of those games.

• Blackburn have been slow starters in league games this term with only two goals scored inside the opening 15 minutes.

• Defeat would see them lose three successive league fixtures for the first time since Allardyce took charge in December 2008.

Chelsea

• Three of Chelsea's five league defeats have come in the north west: 3-1 at Wigan, 2-1 at Man City and 2-1 at Everton.

• Carlo Ancelotti's side have won only two of their last seven away league games.

• Chelsea have failed to score only once in 29 league games: their Boxing Day goalless draw at Birmingham City.

• Didier Drogba (21 goals) is enjoying his most prolific Premier League scoring season, surpassing the 20 he scored during the 2006/07 campaign.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

 

Blackburn

Kalinic: 7 goals (2 league); Dunn: 6 goals (5 league)

 

Chelsea

Drogba: 27 goals (21 league); Lampard: 16 goals (12 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Steve Bennett

Assistant referees: Andy Halliday & Michael Murphy

Fourth official: Kevin Friend

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Blackburn (L1-3 v Tottenham, a): Robinson (Brown 25), Salgado, Samba, Givet (Di Santo 74), Chimbonda, Emerton (Andrews 62), Nzonzi, Pedersen, Olsson, Dunn, Kalinic. Subs Not Used: Roberts, Diouf, Basturk, Hoilett.

Chelsea (W4-1 v West Ham, h): Turnbull, Ivanovic (Zhirkov 80), Alex, Terry, Ferreira, Ballack, Mikel, Lampard, Anelka (J Cole 66), Drogba, Malouda (Kalou 87). Subs Not Used: Taylor, Deco, Sturridge, Bruma.

MOST RECENT MEETING

 Chelsea 5-0 Blackburn (24 October 2009)

Chelsea scorers: Givet (og) 20, Lampard 48 & 59 (pen), Essien 52, Drogba 64

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport