Blackburn v Stoke City Premier League Preview: Faye & Whelan Likely To Start

Blackburn Rovers v Stoke City Premier League match preview:

Saturday 28th November 2009

Blackburn Rovers, currently in 12th place in the Premiership, host 9th placed Stoke City in their Premier League match at Ewood Park on Saturday afternoon.

The promise of a decent encounter awaits as Blackburn have won three and lost three of their last six league matches, and are looking to seal their fifth home win in a row against a Stoke City who have only lost one of their last five away matches and could move up to 6th in the EPL with a win.

Blackburn Rovers boss Sam Allardyce will be absent for the match after having to undergo heart surgery on Friday, but assistant manager Neil McDonald has no new injury concerns for the match, with midfielder Brett Emerton having recovered from a knee injury, while defender Gael Givet is also in contention after recovering from a mild thigh strain, and fellow defender Martin Olsson has also recovered from a virus.

Stoke City boss Tony Pulis welcomes back Potters skipper Abdoulaye Faye after suspension, with Republic of Ireland midfielder Glenn Whelan facing a late fitness-test to see if he has recovered from a groin strain.

Blackburn Rovers (team to be chosen from): Robinson, Chimbonda, Givet, Salgado, Samba, Nelsen, Diouf, Andrews, Pedersen, Dunn, Grella, Jacobsen, Nzonzi, Emerton, Hoilett, Kalinic, McCarthy, Roberts, Di Santo, Brown.

Stoke City (team to be chosen from): Sorensen, Faye, Wilkinson, Huth, Shawcross, Collins, Delap, Whelan, Whitehead, Diao, Etherington, Beattie, Tuncay, Fuller, Higginbotham, Cort, Lawrence, Pugh, Simonsen, Sidibe.