Hard to know how seriously Premier League sides are taking the FA Cup these days and plenty look there for the taking in the third round.
With title battles and relegation scraps deemed far more important than a shot at Wembley glory, many top flight managers will choose to give their fringe players some action this weekend but new Blackburn chief Steve Kean has said he’ll field his ‘big boys’ and I expect Rovers to advance.
The 1995 Premier League champions have been inconsistent since Kean’s appointment, they were awful at Sunderland on their penultimate start, but a 3-1 win over Liverpool at Ewood Park will have restored some confidence and the Scot can guide his team into round four.
Blackburn face Championship table-toppers Queens Park Rangers and, while the west London club will be no pushovers, it really is a game the home side should be looking to triumph in comfortably.
Kean’s opposite number Neil Warnock is a renowned cup tinkerman and, with his men chasing promotion, I expect the Yorkshireman to live up to his reputation.
At 1.91 with several firms, including Coral, Blackburn must be backed to build on what is always an excellent home record and, with a kind draw, the six-time winners could make their presence felt in this year’s renewal of the famous competition.
The concern for Rovers’ supporters will be that Kean is denied the services of a number of first-teamers through injury, Nikola Kalinic and Paul Robinson among those on the sidelines, but their squad is relatively deep and the majority of their spine remains intact.
Having conceded just eight goals in then matches in the second-tier of English football, QPR will try to keep it tight but they have wobbled slightly of late, beaten at Norwich before throwing away two points at Loftus Road when Bristol City equalised late on, and I take the gulf in class to show.
It’s fairly uninspiring stuff this afternoon, we have to wait until Sunday for Manchester United vs. Liverpool, but any profit is welcome and the home side can oblige.
3pts Back Blackburn (vs. QPR) @ 1.91 (Coral)