Everton v Blackburn

By Simon Brotherton
Match of the Day commentator

Blackburn striker Yakubu begins a three-match ban

TEAM NEWS

Everton defender Shane Duffy will keep his place if Sylvain Distin fails to shrug off a hamstring problem.

Phil Jagielka, Jack Rodwell and Tony Hibbert could miss out through injury.

Blackburn striker Yakubu is suspended, so Bordeaux loanee Anthony Modeste may make his debut if his international clearance arrives in time.

Scott Dann could return from injury, but Rovers boss Steve Kean must decide whether to select Chris Samba, who this week submitted a transfer request.

MATCH PREVIEW

Goals have been a real problem for both teams, with Everton struggling to find the net and Blackburn leaking too many. Rovers have not kept a clean sheet this season while the Blues have scored only 21 league goals, an average of exactly one per game. The Merseysiders will therefore be relieved that Yakubu, Blackburn’s top scorer, is suspended following his red card against Fulham.

The Nigerian striker left Everton for Ewood Park last summer after finishing the season on loan at Leicester, but he appears to be back to something like his best with 12 goals in 16 league appearances so far.

All rather galling no doubt for Everton’s manager David Moyes, who paid big money for the player in 2007 only to see his last couple of years at the club affected by a loss of form after a serious Achilles injury.

The Toffees still have not found a reliable goalscorer – a recognised striker has yet to score after starting a league game for Everton this season. All the others involving forwards were netted after the players came off the bench. It leaves Everton marooned in the middle of the table, slightly nearer the relegation zone than the European places, with little sign of being able to spend much, if anything, on new recruits.

Blackburn will hardly be worrying about that. They’ve got more than enough on their plate at the moment. Put it this way, they’re only out of the bottom three on goal difference but things still look better on the field than they do off it. Recent results and performances show the team are clearly playing for the manager. The way Steve Kean has stood his ground despite taking flak from all corners, retaining his dignity while sticking doggedly to his task, has belatedly started to win him some admirers.

Blackburn can score the goals to stay up, but they must find a way to tighten up at the back – they have lost 14 points from winning positions, more than any other side in the division.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Blackburn have only won one of their last six games against Everton (W1, D1, L4).
• These two founder members of the Football League first met in November 1888, with Blackburn winning 3-0 at their old Leamington Road ground.

Everton

• According to Opta statistics, Leighton Baines has delivered more crosses from open play (124) than any other Premier League player this season.
• David Moyes is one short of his 150th Premier League victory as Everton manager. He will become the fourth manager to reach this milestone in the division, following Sir Alex Ferguson (487), Arsene Wenger (337) and Harry Redknapp (221).
• The Toffees have won more league games away from home (four) than at Goodison Park (three) this season.
• They have not scored in the first half of their last 10 league matches since Phil Jagielka’s 44th-minute goal against Wolves on 19 November.

Blackburn

• Blackburn have failed to keep a clean sheet in their opening 21 league games (as had Norwich, prior to their lunchtime match against Chelsea). It is the longest top-flight run without a shut-out from the start of the season since Sheffield United (26 matches) in 1975-76.
• They have not kept a clean sheet since beating Bolton 1-0 in April – a run of 29 games in league and cup.
• They have conceded two goals or more in 15 of their 21 top-flight matches this term.