Blackburn Rovers secured a vital three points with a 3-2 victory over Lancashire rivals Preston North End in Saturday's Championship derby at Deepdale. The win, reported by Sports Yahoo, extends Rovers' recent dominance in this fixture and provides a welcome boost as they look to climb the table.
Rovers now sit 18th in the Championship with five points from six games, having recorded one win, two draws, and three losses. Their recent form reads LLDLW, and they have scored seven goals while conceding nine for a -2 goal difference. They are six points behind early leaders West Ham. The club's standings position reflects a challenging start, but this derby win offers momentum.
How did Blackburn Rovers perform against Preston?
Blackburn's victory was built on a strong away record. They have lost only one of their last seven Championship matches on the road, a 3-0 defeat to Southampton back in April. This resilience was key at Deepdale, where Preston had not beaten Rovers in a league game since October 2019. That 3-2 win for Preston under Alex Neil was their last home success in this fixture, with Rovers avoiding defeat in six subsequent visits. The latest result marks Blackburn's third straight league win against Preston, a feat they last achieved over a century ago in August 1919.
What was the context for Preston North End?
The match presented a stark contrast in early-season fortunes. Preston arrived as the only Championship side to have lost each of their opening four matches. They were staring at the prospect of losing their first five league games of a campaign for only the third time in their history, following the 1924-25 and 1929-30 seasons. Rovers, meanwhile, had gathered five points from their opening fixtures to sit in midtable before this clash. Preston's desperate search for points added extra intensity to the derby atmosphere.
What are the tactical takeaways from the game?
One notable statistic from the match data concerns Blackburn's approach without the ball. Coming into this fixture, Rovers had registered the fewest high turnovers in the Championship this season with just 11. Furthermore, they were the only side in the division yet to have a shot originating from a high turnover. This suggests a defensive structure that prioritises organisation over aggressive pressing in the final third, a strategy that ultimately proved successful in securing an away win.
What's next for Blackburn Rovers?
Attention now turns to Rovers' next Championship fixture, a home game against Millwall on September 12th. Millwall currently sit 8th in the table, presenting another tough test. Manager Tony Mowbray will be planning without several key players for that encounter. The club's injuries list includes Augustus Kargbo, Lewis Miller, Mathias Jørgensen, Moussa Baradji, Scott Wharton, and Yuki Ohashi. Fans can check the full schedule for this busy period on the club's fixtures page. The team returns to Ewood Park looking to build on this derby success.
