Blackburn vs Newcastle Prediction & Tips
New Blackburn manager John Eustace is still waiting for his first official win in charge (E3, P1) after his side could only manage a 1-1 draw against Norwich at Ewood Park on Saturday. That result left Rovers just four points above the relegation zone in the Championship, so perhaps they will be glad of a break from the relegation battle when they host Newcastle in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
In fact, Rovers reached this stage last season and knocked out Premier League rivals Leicester 2-1, a feat they will be hoping to replicate this campaign. Historically, facing Newcastle in the FA Cup play-offs has not been easy for Blackburn (G2, E7), although spurred on by the fact that they could reach consecutive quarter-finals in this tournament for the first time since the 1920s, they are not ruling out making history as “underdogs”.
Newcastle’s unbeaten run of five games in all competitions (G3, E2) was abruptly halted by Arsenal on Saturday night when the “Magpies” left north London having been beaten 4-1. They will be on the road again here, interestingly for the third time in the FA Cup this season, but that certainly hasn’t fazed him, having won without conceding away goals in rounds three and four.
It would make sense to back him to repeat that feat here, especially as Newcastle have progressed past their last eight fifth round ties, most recently in 2019/20. There’s a little extra incentive for the ‘Magpies’ here too, as if they win at Ewood Park, it will be the first time in over 40 years that they have won three clashes in a row against Blackburn.
Players to watch: Blackburn’s Sammie Szmodics, who is one of the leading scorers in this year’s FA Cup with five goals (from the first round onwards), has seen all of his goals in this season’s competition come before half-time. Newcastle’s Joe Willock returned from a long injury lay-off with a goal against Arsenal, his fifth consecutive goal for the club after the hour mark.
Key Fact: Four of Blackburn’s last five home games in the FA Cup have produced at least four goals in 90 minutes.
Blackburn – Newcastle FREE TIPS
OVER 2.5 GOALS @ 2.25
