Blackburn vs West Ham preview: Parker targets first win at Ewood Park

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Blackburn vs West Ham gives Scott Parker the chance to secure his first victory as Hammers head coach after a dramatic opening draw at Cardiff. The Championship match kicks off at 3pm GMT on Saturday 7 November at Ewood Park.

West Ham recovered from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 on Wednesday, but Parker will want a more complete performance against Tony Mowbray’s side. Blackburn are looking to respond to their midweek home defeat by Stoke.

Blackburn vs West Ham preview: can Parker build on Cardiff comeback?

West Ham enter the weekend eighth with 23 points. They have scored a Championship-high 36 goals and remain unbeaten away from home, with three wins and four draws from seven matches, according to Squawka’s statistical preview.

However, two home defeats followed by the Cardiff draw have left them without a victory in three league games. The attacking threat is clear; defensive consistency is the question Parker must address.

His half-time changes at Cardiff offer a selection clue. Ezra Mayers, Mohamadou Kante and Joel Piroe helped the recovery after coming on and are pushing for starts at Ewood Park.

Blackburn team news: Alebiosu and Atcheson face checks

Ryan Alebiosu is a doubt after being forced off against Stoke. Mowbray said the right-back was set for a scan, with Gady Beyuku an option should he miss out.

Tom Atcheson also needs assessing after a groin problem kept him out of the midweek game. Mowbray praised Hayden Carter’s performance against Stoke and confirmed that Scott Wharton is available again.

“Big Tom has still got a little niggle in his groin,” Mowbray said in Blackburn’s official injury update. The decision will depend on whether the club considers him ready to return.

Ryoya Morishita remains unavailable, while Adam Forshaw, Lewis Miller and Matty Litherland are also listed among Blackburn’s absentees in the latest team-news preview.

West Ham team news: Mavropanos returns to contention

Dinos Mavropanos returned from his knee problem against Cardiff and played the full match. He should therefore no longer be treated as a confirmed injury absentee.

Kyle Walker-Peters remains a concern after missing that trip, with Joel Veltman having deputised at right-back. West Ham World’s injury round-up reports that no return date has been confirmed for Walker-Peters.

Keiber Lamadrid remains unavailable, according to Read West Ham’s match preview.

Blackburn vs West Ham predicted line-ups

These are predicted teams, not confirmed starting XIs. Blackburn’s defensive selection depends on the late fitness checks, while Parker must decide how many of his Cardiff substitutes to reward.

Blackburn predicted XI: Toth; Beyuku, Carter, McLoughlin, Pickering; Morsy, Montgomery; Fevrier, Cantwell, Afolayan; Gudjohnsen.

West Ham predicted XI: Hermansen; Veltman, Mavropanos, Kilman, Mayers; Engels, Kante; Bowen, Mukasa, Solomon; Piroe.

Where the match could be decided

Analysis: Blackburn’s right side is an area to watch if Alebiosu cannot play. West Ham can test that flank through Solomon, while Bowen offers a threat from the opposite side.

For Rovers, the opportunity is to expose the uncertainty West Ham showed before their Cardiff comeback. Cantwell’s positioning between midfield and defence could be important, particularly if the visitors commit players forward.

Parker also faces a balance between rewarding his substitutes and preserving continuity. Piroe’s involvement in the Cardiff recovery gives him a case to start, but changes alone will not resolve the defensive problems that left West Ham chasing the game.

Dave.sport prediction: Blackburn 1-2 West Ham

Prediction: West Ham’s attacking options give them a narrow edge, although their recent results suggest Blackburn should have opportunities. Parker’s side need a steadier start than they managed in Cardiff to turn their away resilience into three points.

Kick-off time, TV coverage and supporter information

Blackburn vs West Ham kicks off at 3pm GMT on Saturday 7 November. The match is not being shown live on UK television because it falls within the Saturday afternoon broadcast blackout.

Blackburn expect a crowd of more than 20,000, including over 7,000 travelling supporters. The club’s matchday information advises fans to arrive early, with Remembrance tributes beginning at around 2.50pm and local firework events expected to add to traffic.

Follow our Championship news for further previews, team updates and results.

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