Don't forget to join us across our social media channels where we'll bring you all the matchday build-up, in-game updates, and post-match reaction as the Walsall make the trip to Ewood Park where they'll take on Blackburn Rovers in Round One of the Carabao Cup.
PRE-MATCH VIEWS
Walsall opened their 2023/24 League Two campaign with a narrow 2-1 defeat to Morecambe as Danny Johnson's third goal in as many competitive Saddlers games was not enough to spur the team on to victory.
Despite their second-half dominance, Sadler's lads couldn't capitalise upon any of their promising openings with DJ's goal proving to be their only shot on target as the new campaign got off to a disappointing start.
With only a couple of days to lick their wounds, Walsall are now faced with Championship opposition in the shape of Blackburn Rovers as they look to make some progress in the Carabao Cup.
WALSALL TEAM NEWS
The Saddlers will be without defender Priestley Farquharson, who missed their opening-day defeat to Morecambe after picking up a knock during the recent Open Training Session.
Tom Knowles will also miss out as he continues his efforts to overcome injury, though Head Coach Mat Sadler believes he won't need to miss too much more playing time.
Whilst defender Rollin Menayese and midfielder Jack Earing remain long-term absentees with Freddie Draper set to serve the last of the ban which he carried over from his time in the League of Ireland.
POTENTIAL WALSALL LINE-UP
Head Coach Mat Sadler could opt to rotate his team for Tuesday's cup clash with Rovers, with several of the fringe players deserving an opportunity to impress. Should he do so, we could see a line-up like the one below.
EVANS
WILLIAMS DANIELS HUSSEY
FOULKES STIRK TIERNEY ALLEN
HUTCHINSON
JAMES-TAYLOR JOHNSON
OPPOSITION NEWS
Jon Dahl Tomasson's Blackburn opened their 2023/24 campaign with a with over West Bromwich Albion as goals from Harry Leonard and Dilan Markanday were enough to secure all three points at Ewood Park.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Walsall and Blackburn have met on just seventeen previous occasions, and it's Rovers who hold a comfortable head-to-head lead having won on ten occasions compared to the Saddlers' two.
The first meeting between the two was an FA Cup - Third Round match that took place at Ewood Park on Saturday, 10th January 1931, and saw the spoils shared with Rovers and Walsall playing out a one-all draw.
Walsall had knocked Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in Round One before kicking Newport County out of the competition in the Second-Round stage to book their place alongside the Lancashire club.
Sadly, for the Saddlers, their run would soon end as the replay, which took place at Fellows Park on Thursday, 15th January 1931, saw Blackburn secure a place in the next round after registering a comfortable three-nil win.
THE LAST TIME WE MET
The most recent meeting between the Saddlers and Rovers was a League One clash that took place in front of 6,893 fans at Banks's Stadium on Saturday, 24th February 2018, and saw the visitors take all three points.
A first-half Danny Graham brace proved to be enough to see Rovers home to victory as Jack Fitzwater's goal on the stroke of the break wasn't enough to kick Walsall into gear.
Walsall XI: Liam Roberts; Nicky Devlin, Jack Fitzwater, Jon Guthrie, Adam Chambers, Joe Edwards, Luke Leahy, George Dobson, Kieron Morris, Erhun Öztümer, Justin Shaibu
Blackburn Rovers XI: David Raya; Derrick Williams, Corry Evans, Darragh Lenihan, Charlie Mulgrew, Ryan Nyambe, Elliott Bennett, Jack Payne, Richie Smallwood, Adam Armstrong, Danny Graham
MATCH OFFICIALS
The EFL has confirmed that Benjamin Speedie, who is based on Merseyside, will be the man in the middle, whilst Richard Woodward and Kevin Mulraine have been named assistant referees. Steven Copeland will act as Fourth Official.
CATCH THE MATCH
If you're not planning on going to the game you can catch the match via the club's in-house service - iFollow Walsall - which takes you through the highs and lows of every Saddlers game.
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