Blackburn Rovers vs Walsall. Sky Bet League One.
Ewood ParkAttendance11,241.
Monday 29 January 2018 18:46, UK
Skipper Charlie Mulgrew is expected to miss Blackburn's clash with Walsall after he suffered an ankle injury at the weekend.
The Scotland international was sent for scans and boss Tony Mowbray is anxiously awaiting the results. Derrick Williams came on alongside Paul Downing and he is likely to start against the Saddlers.
Long-term absentees Darragh Lenihan, Ben Gladwin and Peter Whittingham have been pencilled in to return next month, Marcus Antonsson is 10 days away from fitness, while Corry Evans has an outside chance of making the squad on Tuesday night.
Walsall look set to give new loan signing Justin Shaibu his debut. The Saddlers hope to have the 20-year-old rgistered in time to play at Ewood Park following his arrival from Brentford.
Walsall had been short of attacking options after the loans of Tyler Roberts, Daniel Agyei and Zeli Ismail were cut short earlier this month. Manager Jon Whitney has an otherwise fully-fit squad to choose from.
This is the first meeting between these sides since November 2002, a League Cup third round tie at Ewood Park - Rovers won 5-4 on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
Indeed, it is the first league meeting since October 1999 - Blackburn are unbeaten in their last six league meetings with the Saddlers (W4 D2).
Walsall have lost three of their last four away games in League One (D1), including each of the last two. In fact, The Saddlers are on the verge of losing three successive away league matches for the first time since November 2010 (also three).
Only Marcus Maddison (13) has registered more assists in the EFL this season than Blackburn's Jack Payne (10), who are also the only two players with more such assists than Walsall's Luke Leahy (nine).
