Blackburn Rovers did not have a match in League One on the weekend as their game was postponed due to international call-ups. So, despite starting the weekend top of the table, Blackburn have dropped down to third place ahead of their meeting with Bradford City on Thursday night at Ewood Park.
A win would see Blackburn return to the top of League One but any other result would see them remain in their current position and outside the automatic promotion places.
Bradford are clinging on to an outside chance of making the playoffs this season and start the match in ninth place. A win would see them move up to eighth and just one point off the playoff places.
Blackburn fans will be looking forward to seeing their team back in action and it will be 19 days since their previous game. Interestingly, their last two games have also been at home and they were held by fellow promotion hopefuls Wigan 2-2 before defeating Blackpool 3-0.
Trends show Blackburn are undefeated in their last seven League One games, winning five and drawing two.
At home, Blackburn have been extremely difficult to beat in League One this season and have lost only two games, which both came at the start of the campaign. Tony Mowbray’s team have remained undefeated in their last sixteen home matches and have scored 2 or more goals in each of their last five.
However, Blackburn have managed to keep only two clean sheets in their last seven League One games at Ewood Park.
Bradford make the short trip to Blackburn having picked up a 1-0 win over Gillingham at the weekend. This was their first win in twelve League One games and Simon Grayson will be hoping his team have turned a corner ahead of this match.
Prior to the win over Gillingham, Bradford had lost three games in succession, with defeats at home to Wigan away to Plymouth and Doncaster.
Away form has been terrible for Bradford and having enjoyed a good spell up to the New Year, they have lost five and drawn one of their six matches on the road. There have been defeats at Bristol Rovers, Rotherham, Oldham, Plymouth and Doncaster.
Bradford have conceded 11 goals across those six games and have managed to score just 3 goals themselves, which is a poor return.
Team news and Blackburn will be hoping their international players return to the squad unscathed from their friendly internationals. Charlie Mulgrew, Derrick Williams, Corry Evans, Jayson Leutwiler and Darragh Lenihan are the players in question.
Bradford are likely to keep the same team which clinched their first win in twelves games at the weekend and that means a 4-4-2 formation with Nathaniel Knight-Percival and Dominic Poleon up-front.
Bradford will arrive at Ewood Park with some renewed confidence but Blackburn are in great form and will be eager to get back in action following their break. This one has a home win written all over it.