There’s a local derby in the fifth round of the English FA Cup this Sunday, February 19th as Blackburn Rovers of the second-tier Championship League hosts Premier League giants Manchester United at Ewood Park. Man United downed Watford 2-0 at home at Old Trafford in league action last weekend and then took on French Ligue 1 side St. Etienne in the Europa League on Thursday and won 3-0 at home. Meanwhile, Blackburn was beaten 2-1 away in the league by Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday evening.
Blackburn Rovers vs Manchester United – bet365 Soccer Betting Line:
- bet365 currently lists Man United as the favorites to win the game at 7/20 with Blackburn 8/1 and a draw at 4/1
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Blackburn Rovers vs Manchester United – Head to Head:
- The last time these two clubs met was in the 2011/12 Premier League season with Blackburn winning 3-2 away at Old Trafford and Man United winning 2-0 away at Ewood Park. Overall, these teams have met 112 times in the past with Man United winning 51, losing 32 and drawing the other 29. Blackburn has just one win in the last 13 meetings along with three draws and nine defeats.
Blackburn Rovers – A Closer Look:
Blackburn is struggling this season and currently sits in 23rd place in the 24-team Championship League. They have just 29 points out of a possible 93 after 31 games and sit in the relegation zone. However, they’re just two points behind 21st-place Burton Albion and the safety zone. Blackburn has seven wins on the season along with eight draws and 16 losses with 36 goals for and 49 against.
The Rovers have also struggled at home with five wins, five draws and six losses while scoring 22 times and conceding 24. They’ve won just two of their last 13 league outings along with seven losses and four draws. However, they’ve lost just two of their past five with two wins and a draw. They also have a healthy 12-point lead over last-place Rotherham.
Blackburn has appeared in eight FA Cup Finals and has won six of them. Their last triumph was 3-1 over Huddersfield Town way back in 1927/28 and their last appearance was a 3-0 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1959/60. Blackburn beat fellow Championship League side Queens Park Rangers 2-1 away in London in round three of this year’s FA Cup and then downed League Two cub Blackpool FC 2-0 at home in the fourth round.
Manchester United – A Closer Look:
United is the current FA Cup holder after beating Crystal Palace 2-1 in extra time in last year’s final at Wembley. They’re currently riding a 16-game Premier League unbeaten streak with nine wins and seven draws. They occupy sixth place in standings after 25 contests with 48 points from 13 victories, nine draws and three losses while scoring 38 goals and conceding 21. United has just one defeat in their past 22 games in all competitions with 19 victories in their past 32.
United is a fine road team with seven wins, three draws and two losses away from home in league action this season with 19 goals for and 12 against. They’re 12 points behind first-place Chelsea, just four back of second-place Manchester City, two behind both Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal and one point behind fifth-place Liverpool.
Man United beat Championship League club Reading 4-0 at home in the third round of this year’s FA Cup campaign and then dropped Championship League side Wigan 4-0 at home in the fourth round. United shares the record with Arsenal for most FA Cup Final wins at 12 each and for most appearances with 19 each. Their last appearance and win came last season, 2-1 over Crystal Palace.
Blackburn Rovers vs Manchester United – Takeaway
United is a long shot to win the Premier League, but still have a slim chance. They’ve reached the League Cup Final and are still in the Europa League so there’s a chance new manager Jose Mourinho can deliver more than one piece of silverware this season and therefore he should be taking the FA Cup seriously.
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