LeeDixon

Match Odds / Half-time/Full-time

This midweek feast of televised Premier League action kicks off with a real relegation battle. This one looks a proper humdinger at Ewood Park, and a game that many people will be judging as a battle between two managers, with the loser out of a job once it's all over. A look at the table confirms that defeat could be fatal for either Steve Kean or Owen Coyle with Rovers and Wanderers 19th and 20th in the table, uncomfortably off the pace having gone two fifths of the way through this Premier League campaign.

I'm sure both Kean and Coyle genuinely wish each other well, but either will be delighted to pull off a win, regardless of the ramifications for the other man. Defeat would leave either club marooned at the bottom of the table.

These two clubs - and their managers - have been saved by the competitive nature of the relegation battle. In recent weeks, a win has been enough to shoot you three of four places up the table but Rovers and Wanderers find themselves a couple of points off the opposition now. It only makes this game even more competitive.

I can see the match panning out one of two ways: either cagey and tight as each tries to avoid making a mistake, or open and end-to-end with both determined to score the goals that will land that much-needed three points.

Whichever way it goes - and I lean towards the first scenario of those listed above - I think Rovers will be the ones cheering at the end. Losing at home to West Brom wasn't good, but it was typically close whereas Bolton seem to lose by a wider margin more often. I've said before that the Rovers team is showing a bit of fight for Kean and I think they can bring home a welcome three points here. In fact, I am tempted to play up that bet with a more ballsy back of Blackburn/Blackburn in the half-time/full-time market at 3.75. Extra confidence is gleaned from the fact that, as Opta point out, Blackburn have won six and lost just one of the last nine Premier League meetings with Bolton


Under 2.5 Goals

I said above that I see this one being more cagey than open and that informs my betting on the goals markets. Bolton have found goals hard to come by in recent weeks and I think that trend can continue at Ewood Park. I fancy this one will finish unders might just be a bit of value at 2.26.


To Score First

One man has scored more than two-fifths of Blackburn's total league goals and, while Yakubu didn't score against the Baggies, I don't think he's gone cold quite yet. A back of the Nigerian to open the scoring is my fourth and final bet for Tuesday night's basement battle.


Recommended Bets

2pts Back Blackburn to win @ 2.18
1pt Back Blackburn/Blackburn in HT/FT @ 3.75
2pts Back Under 2.5 goals @ 2.26
1pt Back Yakubu to score first @ 6.0


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