Blackburn vs Middlesbrough predictions: Hellberg's side to grind out a win
Enda McElhinney
Middlesbrough scored a stoppage-time winner to beat Lincoln 2-1 last weekend
Blackburn were denied victory at Wolves in the Championship opener by a stoppage-time penalty
Recommended bet: Middlesbrough to win, Will Lankshear anytime goalscorer & Under 3.5 Goals @ 6/1 with LiveScore Bet
Blackburn welcome Middlesbrough to Ewood Park for their first home assignment of the Championship season, with both of these sides having been involved in stoppage-time drama on the opening weekend.
Rovers were denied the scalp of relegated Wolves as Raul Jimenez scored a late penalty at Molineux, while summer signing Will Lankshear scored both goals as Middlesbrough came from behind to beat promoted Lincoln at the Riverside.
The Championship meetings last season failed to produce a goal and it could be another battle as these sides meet in Lancashire.
Team news
Moussa Baradji, Dion De Neve, Mathias Jorgensen and Augustus Kargbo are likely to miss this game for the home side.
Sam Morsy came off the bench against Wolves and could push for a start at the expense of Adam Forshaw or Todd Cantwell.
Middlesbrough signed England Under-21 international defender Ashley Phillips from Tottenham this week and he could feature against a former club here.
Influential Aussie midfielder Riley McGree came off the bench against Lincoln and set up Boro's winning goal. If now fully ready, he is a likely starter.
The latest Blackburn vs Middlesbrough odds are available on LiveScore Bet
The stats
Both Championship meetings between these clubs last season ended scoreless.
The last six meetings in league and cup have produced a total of four goals.
Rovers have lost just one of their past six league games against Middlesbrough (W2, D3), with four clean sheets across the five most recent of those matches.
Summer signing Will Lankshear has scored three goals in his first two competitive games for Middlesbrough.
Rovers boss Tony Mowbray managed Middlesbrough between 2010 and 2013 and also played more than 300 games for the Teessiders.
Middlesbrough defender Luke Ayling has been booked in three of his last five appearances against Blackburn.
The latest Blackburn vs Middlesbrough odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Prediction
A controversial late penalty denied Tony Mowbray and his Blackburn side victory over Wolves at Molineux and they will want to atone with victory but are now running into another side fancied by many as promotion contenders in Middlesbrough.
Rovers have lost just one of their past six league meetings with Boro but may find that tally doubled now. Only Sheffield Wednesday picked up fewer home points than Blackburn last season and despite the point at Wolves, they were under the cosh for long spells.
Middlesbrough will have got a real boost from turning a losing scenario into a winning one on the opening weekend and the Kim Hellberg-managed Teessiders can build on it now.
Big-money summer signing Lankshear had six shots, with three on target, and scored a second-half double to turn that game around.
He looks a shrewd buy and is full of confidence, so he is fancied to find the net again in a team full of creativity — especially with McGree set to return to the starting XI.
Recent meetings of these sides have not yielded many goals and it may be similar on Saturday, but Hellberg's side have the wherewithal to grind out a win.
Score prediction: Blackburn 0-2 Middlesbrough
