West Brom vs Blackburn - Championship

The Championship returns to The Hawthorns on October 17, 2026, where West Brom and Blackburn will lock horns in a contest that could shape their respective campaigns. It has not been a daunting fixture list but there are signs that Mourinho has found a way to get the best from an increasingly stacked Madrid squad.

West Brom head into the contest positioned 4th in the Championship standings, while Blackburn arrive sitting 7th. The hosts have been steady if unspectacular, WLLDW in their last five reflecting a win rate of 50%. Blackburn have struggled to string results together away from home, WWDWL over their last five with a win rate of 30.43%. Where West Brom have built their campaign on solidity, Blackburn have often chased flair, and that fundamental difference should make for compelling viewing. During his 22 matches in charge, Oxford actually ranked as high as 14th in the table.

Stylistically, this is a compelling matchup. West Brom favour a patient, possession-based approach, whereas Blackburn are at their most dangerous when allowed to hit quickly on the counter. They are sticking to the principles of possession and pressing that have taken them from the fourth tier.

With C. Larin leading the league's scoring charts at 7 goals, the contest is unlikely to be short of attacking intent. Set-piece specialists and aerial threats on both sides mean dead-ball situations could carry outsized importance. But so impressive was the midfielder in that win at Auxerre that 11 senior starts later the now 20-year-old midfielder has signed for Newcastle for £35.5m – and some consider it a bargain.

Predicting an outright winner is no easy task given how little separates the two sides on paper. The weight of evidence points to West Brom, and a 2-1 win for the hosts feels like the most probable outcome. With the standings tight and form on the line, this is a fixture neither side will want to lose. That would lead most to think that Rahm is likely to spend the 2027 season on the DP World Tour.