Chelsea will face Blackburn Rovers in the fourth round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday. Chelsea‘s recent defeat to Brentford has highlighted their ongoing struggles this season, despite a brief period of improvement. They have lost all three Premier League West London derbies at home against Brentford, dropping them into the bottom half of the league table. Despite a win over Brighton & Hove Albion in the previous round of the EFL Cup, Chelsea‘s overall performance in the league has been lackluster, with only 12 points from 10 matches.
Blackburn Rovers, on the other hand, have had a mixed season under Jon Dahl Tomasson. They have won nine, lost seven, and drawn only one of their 17 games so far. In the EFL Cup, Blackburn has been in fine form, scoring plenty of goals in wins over Walsall, Harrogate Town, and Cardiff City. However, they were knocked out in the fourth round last season by Premier League side Nottingham Forest. Blackburn’s recent league form has been inconsistent, with a 1-0 defeat to Swansea City ending their three-game winning streak. They currently sit in 12th place, just four points away from the playoffs.
In terms of team news, Chelsea may make changes to their lineup ahead of their upcoming clash against Tottenham Hotspur. Thiago Silva could be rested, with Malo Gusto or Reece James taking his place at right-back. Chelsea‘s defensive options are limited, with Trevoh Chalobah, Ben Chilwell, and Wesley Fofana all absent. Blackburn may field a similar side to the one that secured a 5-2 victory over Cardiff in the previous round, with opportunities for youngsters Andrew Moran and Jake Garrett.
Despite their struggles this season, Chelsea‘s record against lower-league opposition is strong, making them favorites to progress. Blackburn will be hoping to cause an upset with their goalscoring exploits in the EFL Cup, but it may prove to be a challenging task. The match is predicted to end in a 2-0 victory for Chelsea.
