Official StokeMAD Match preview: Stoke v Blackburn

Last updated : 05 February 2010 By Dan Buxton

 

The Potters host Blackburn this Saturday in a game that sees two sides who are in good form of late and both sitting in mid table.

Stoke sit 12th in the Premier League but are still not too far away from the bottom three but are edging closer to survival all the time. Blackburn are just outside the top half in the Premier League, onhe place and two points better off than the Potters, but City do have two games in hand.

Stoke have a decent home record this season and have already beaten Burnley, West Ham, Sunderland, Fulham, Arsenal and Portsmouth whilst only losing to Manchester United, Birmingham and Chelsea. Blackburn have suffered a bit away from home this season, winning just the once on their Premier League travels, at Bolton in November, and have lost five of the eight away games since.

In the 43 matches between these sides at Stoke, the Potters have won 24, the visitors 11 and eight have been drawn. Last season when the pair clashed at the Britannia the game ended 1-0 to the Potters. Overall Blackburn have won 40 times to the Potters 30.

The referee is Howard Webb. He took charge as Stoke were beaten 2-0 by Man Utd in October, aswell as the goalless draws with Sunderland last Monday and the reverse fixture between these sides at Ewood Park. Apart from that game he has refereed Blackburn once more this season, a 3-1 away defeat to Aston Villa in the FA Cup.

The Met Office report that there will be low level cloud, temperatures of 5 degrees celsius, good visibility and a smooth 5mph wind.

Prediction: Stoke stand toe to toe with the opposition and a physical game takes it toll of the visitors late on when the introduction of Fuller helps the Potters net a late winner