Blackburn vs Millwall Prediction: Lions to pounce at Ewood

Blackburn Rovers picked up an important victory at Luton Town in the Championship on Saturday and they will look to build on that when they host Millwall at Ewood Park on Friday (15:00, Sky Sports+).

The visitors are on a three-game winning streak coming into this clash, and they are three points outside the play-off places. Read on for my Blackburn vs Millwall predictions, aided by the latest team news and match odds.

Football Odds

Team News

Blackburn's Joe Rankin-Costello was only able to make the bench at Luton having been forced off through injury against Sheffield Wednesday last Tuesday. It's likely he'll be thrown straight back into the side following the suspension picked up by understudy Kristi Montgomery at Kenilworth Road.

Callum Brittain (calf), Harry Leonard, Zak Gilsenan, Hayden Carter, Owen Beck (hamstring) and Scott Wharton remain long-term absentees for Rovers, while Augustus Kargbo, Emmanuel Dennis (both hamstring) and Andreas Weimann are also out of action.

Against a physically strong Millwall side, Valerien Ismael may turn to Makhtar Gueye to lead the line, either in place of or to support Yuki Ohashi, who was the match-winner last time out.

Millwall can welcome back Josh Coburn to their squad on Friday. The forward was ineligible to face his parent club Middlesbrough at the weekend and so he will come back refreshed for the trip to Lancashire.

Luke Cundle partnered Mihailo Ivanovic against Boro, and he should make way for Coburn at Ewood. Camiel Neghli, the man who came on to score the winner at the weekend, is set to miss the rest of the season with a hamstring issue.

The Lions are still a little short in defensive areas with both Japhet Tanganga (wrist) and Shaun Hutchinson (leg) currently sidelined. Tristan Crama and Jake Cooper have been operating as the centre-backs in their absence and have kept clean sheets in their previous two league matches.

Blackburn vs Millwall Odds

Blackburn may have won at Luton but they are winless in their last four league games on home turf. They are 13/10 to come out on top on Friday.

Two of their previous four Championship games at Ewood have ended in a stalemate and the draw is available at 2/1.

Millwall are the most in-form team in the division right now with nine wins from their last 15 fixtures, including three on the spin coming into this. The Lions are 9/4, which has an implied probability of 30.8%, to come away with the three points.

At least one team has failed to score in five of Millwall's previous six outings in the second tier and BTTS No is on offer at 8/11.

Millwall to win @ 9/4

Millwall are the best-performing side in the Championship right now and their victory against Boro could go a long way in the grand scheme of things as the Lions find themselves just three points outside the top six.

Blackburn are just one place (10th) behind the visitors in the standings but are four points adrift of them. They are unbeaten in their last two games but it is nothing compared to the momentum Millwall have built in recent weeks.

Alex Neil's side are in a great position to finish inside the play-offs and that ambition can edge closer to a reality with a victory at Blackburn and if other results go in their favour.

After their trip to Lancashire, they host Norwich City and Swansea City, who have both blown hot and cold this term, before a tough trip to Burnley on the final day. These next three fixtures are crucial for their top-six push and nine points is not a fantasy given how strong their form is.

Blackburn still have plenty of issues both on and off the pitch that are sure to plague them next season, and Millwall's combust and physically-imposing style should be too much for them to handle on Friday.

The Lions won the reverse fixture at The Den 1-0 back in December, and we could see something familiar unfold in BB2.

Under 1.5 goals @ 6/4

As much as Millwall have been strong, they are rarely involved in games that include a lot of goals. Half (21/42) of their league matches this season have featured fewer than two goals, including four of their last five.

That is why I think under 1.5 goals is an attractive price to strike in Lancashire on Friday, which has also been a successful bet in 15 of Rovers' 42 fixtures in the second tier, including two of their past five.

Offers

Place an In-Play single bet of £10 or more at odds of 1/2+ on any Premier League or Championship game on Friday or Saturday and get £5 in Free Bets to use In-Play on Sunday’s Premier League or Championship games. (Credited upon Bet Settlement).

Acca Flex: Place a pre-match 5+ leg Football accumulator and get a CASH bonus up to 100% if all of your selections win or your money back as CASH if one leg lets you down