Will the Riversiders make it exciting in the East Midlands?
While Blackburn Rovers have won football’s oldest cup competition six times, Leicester City celebrated winning the FA Cup overall for the first time just two years ago.
For the Foxes, who continue to lag behind expectations in the Premier League, the cup is also probably the only realistic route into European competition. In principle, there is a lot to be said for Leicester’s betting on the Foxes progressing to the next round against Blackburn.
After all, there is a league between the two opponents. At least for now. While the Riversiders are in the promotion race in the Championship, the Foxes are currently fighting to stay in the Premier League. Nevertheless, the prediction for Leicester against Blackburn goes in the direction of the home side, who have only managed to pick up twelve points at home in the Premier League – the second weakest figure in the league.
Another problem is that Leicester City have recently lost two league games in a row after a brief upward trend. On the other hand, Blackburn Rovers have not lost any of their last nine matches (four wins, five draws) and have recently won three in a row.
Accordingly, it is interesting to apply an Asian handicap of +1.5 on the Riversiders. That covers not only any triumph by the second-tier side, but also any favourite win by the Foxes by a maximum of one goal.
Leicester – Statistics & current form
Leicester City were founded as early as 1884 and were promoted to England’s highest division for the first time in 1908. However, the Foxes only achieved resounding success in the last decade when they won the English Championship for the first time in 2016 and celebrated their first overall victory in the FA Cup in 2021.
As a permanent guest in Europe in the meantime, the team from the English East Midlands wanted to play a role in the fight for the international starting places again in 2022/23. The reality, however, looks very different at the moment.
After a short series, two defeats in a row again
The Foxes have already lost 14 of their first 24 league games in the Premier League, which is the second-highest figure behind bottom-placed Southampton (16 defeats), and are currently in 14th place, just three points clear of the first relegation spot.
Leicester City are correspondingly unsettled, having suffered two defeats in a row after a good run of seven out of a possible nine points from three consecutive league games.
The second weakest home team in the Premier League
The primary goal of the club from the English East Midlands had to be consequently corrected to staying in the league. If they still want to qualify for a European competition, the Foxes would probably need an overall victory in the FA Cup, which is why the home match against Rovers is very important.
The betting odds on Leicester against Blackburn are clearly in favour of Brendan Rodgers’ team. However, the Foxes are the second-weakest home team in the Premier League. Leicester have only won three of their twelve home games so far in the 2022/23 season.
Predicted Leicester line-up:
Ward – Kristiansen – Faes – Souttar – Castagne – Dewsbury-Hall – Ndidi – Praet – Barnes – Tetê Ihenacho
Last matches played by Leicester:
Premier League
25/02/2023 – Leicester 0 – 1 Arsenal FC
19/02/2023 – Manchester United 3 – 0 Leicester
11/02/2023 – Leicester 4 – 1 Tottenham
04/02/2023 – Aston Villa 2 – 4 Leicester
FA Cup
28/01/2023 – Walsall 0 – 1 Leicester
Blackburn – Statistics & current form
Blackburn Rovers were once a founder member of the Football League and won the Championship twice in England back in the 1910s. A third title was added a whopping 81 years later when the Riversiders finished top of the Premier League at the end of the 1994/95 season.
Since 2012, however, the men from Lancashire in the north-west of England have no longer been part of the country’s top division. Accordingly, the six-time FA Cup winners have high hopes of making the leap back up the table this summer.
Unbeaten for nine consecutive competitive games
Currently, Rovers are on a very good path under coach Jon Dahl Tomasson. Blackburn are in fourth place in the EFL Championship after 34 games and, as things stand, would at least qualify for the promotion play-offs.
Things have been going very well, especially in the last few weeks. The Riversiders have not lost for nine consecutive competitive games (four wins, five draws), with the last three league games in a row all being wins.
Lost nine of their 18 away league games
In the FA Cup, Tomasson’s eleven already recorded two away victories at Norwich City and Birmingham City. In league play in particular, however, the Riversiders’ performances away from home have not always been convincing. Rovers have already lost nine of their 18 away games, which is why betting on a win at the King Power Stadium for Leicester against Blackburn is highly risky.
After all, the north-westerners have not won any of their last ten away games at the Foxes (four draws, six defeats). On top of that, the goal threat has left much to be desired at away grounds, where only 16 goals have been scored in 18 league games in the 2022/23 season – averaging less than one away goal per game.
Predicted Blackburn line-up:
Pears – Brittain – Hyam – Carter – Rankin-Costello – Buckley – Travis – Dolan – Szmodics – Thomas – Gallagher
Last matches played by Blackburn:
Championship
25/02/2023 – Queens Park Rangers 1 – 3 Blackburn
22/02/2023 – Blackburn 1 – 0 Blackpool
18/02/2023 – Blackburn 1 – 0 Swansea
16/02/2023 – West Bromwich 1 – 1 Blackburn
11/02/2023 – Watford 1 – 1 Blackburn
Leicester – Blackburn Direct comparison / H2H record
Head to head: 35 – 25 – 38
There have been a total of 108 meetings between the two teams so far and Blackburn Rovers still lead the head-to-head comparison with 38 wins. However, the Riversiders have recently gone winless in three successive meetings with the Foxes (one draw, two defeats).
Leicester – Blackburn Tip
When it comes to Leicester against Blackburn, the prediction goes clearly to the first division team. The Foxes bring the nominally much stronger squad and are also against an ambitious second division team the clear favourite. However, Leicester’s performance in their own stadium left a lot to be desired. With only twelve points from twelve home games, the Foxes are the second-weakest home team in the Premier League.
Adding to that, the Riversiders come to the King Power Stadium in great form. Rovers have not lost any of their last nine competitive games (four wins, five draws). Accordingly, it is coherent to apply an Asian handicap of +1.5 on the visitors, which includes a Foxes home win with a maximum one-goal difference in addition to any draw or away win.
