Two sides looking to continue their good starts to the season face off this weekend as Blackburn Rovers meet Oxford United.
- Date: 24/08/2024
- Kick-off time: 15:00
- Location: Ewood Park, Blackburn
Blackburn currently sit 3rd in the Championship with four points from their first two games. It’s been an overwhelmingly positive start to the campaign for a Rovers side that most fancied would have a difficult campaign this time around.
Rovers narrowly avoided relegation last season with a 2-0 win away at Champions Leicester City on the final day of the season and much with turmoil plaguing the club behind the scenes involving the club’s questionable owners, there were slim funds available for transfers this summer.
However, the club did manage to bring a few players in on the cheap, and one name in particular, Japanese forward Yuki Ohashi, has really impressed in his first few weeks in English football.
Ohashi’s exploits will somewhat soften the blow of the exit of star player Sammie Szmodics, who last week departed the club for Ipswich Town. Szmodics leaves the club as the reigning Championship Golden Boot holder.
Blackburn’s manager, John Eustace, has already proven very adept at managing in difficult situations during his time at Birmingham City, so it feels like Rovers have the perfect man guiding the team at what is a very uncertain time for the club.
Rovers aren’t going to be anything special this season, but they have a very good chance of staying clear of the relegation battle based on their early showings and they have an excellent chance to claim another three points here.
Oxford United currently sit 9th in the Championship with three points from their first two games. It’s been a whirlwind last few months for the club, who after sealing promotion with a concentrated late surge of performances at the back end of last season have continued that trend, looking very good in the opening two games of the season.
Many believed Oxford would be immediately relegated back to League One, or would at least be deep in the relegation battle, and while that may still be the case, they’ve looked well beyond relegation fodder in the early weeks of the season.
Oxford lost star forward Josh Murphy in the summer but his absence hasn’t been felt quite as much as expected, largely because the likes of Cameron Brannagan, Ciaron Brown and Mark Harris have looked well at home in this division.
Oxford won’t be getting carried away but there is a strong sense of belief amongst the fan base, if there wasn’t already, that they can become an established Championship club.
These two sides have met only three times in their respective histories (2016, 2017 & 2018) with Blackburn winning all three games (3-0, 4-2, 2-1).