Cardiff vs Blackburn Rovers Predictions

• Fewer than three goals have been scored in five of Cardiff’s seven home league games this term
• Fewer than three goals have been scored in seven of Blackburn’s last nine Championship games, including each of the last five
• Blackburn, who have failed to score in four straight, have drawn three of their last six away league matches

Rovers will test Cardiff’s new-boss bounce

Blackburn’s scoring problems may prevent them from ending a four-game winless run when they face Championship strugglers Cardiff City on Saturday afternoon.

Although Rovers are still 10th in the table and seemingly in the playoff hunt while the Bluebirds languish in the bottom four, only four points separate the clubs. And Cardiff have much better current form after winning four and drawing two of their last seven league games.

Wednesday night’s 1-0 defeat at Luton was a minor setback for Omer Riza’s side, and only their second taste of defeat under the interim boss who has dragged them up from the bottom of the table during his eight-game stint. Whether any of that turnaround was due to the new-manager bounce phenomenon will become clear in the next few games and Cardiff may yet appoint a permanent boss during the upcoming international break.

Blackburn can break their scoring duck

A win on Saturday would bolster his chances of keeping the job, but Rovers are a better side than their recent results suggest and look capable of getting a result in Wales. Putting the ball in the back of the net has been their problem in the last few weeks but they are creating plenty of chances and still look steady in defence.

After falling short against Sheffield United’s Championship-best defence and being denied several times by Stoke City’s Championship-best goalkeeper in their last two games, Rovers should be able to break their duck against Cardiff’s rearguard.

Both teams’ results indicate fewer than three goals in the game is likely but add a draw to the bet for greater odds because Rovers have drawn three of their last six on the road and Cardiff have not exactly had the toughest run of home fixtures. They beat struggling Plymouth and Portsmouth convincingly but needed two late goals to see off Norwich and only just got over the line against Millwall, so Blackburn could be good for a draw.