Blackburn vs Bradford

Seeking their first win of the 2025-26 campaign, Blackburn Rovers play host to Bradford City in the first round of the EFL Cup at Ewood Park on Tuesday.

Having failed to win any of the last eight competitive meetings between the two teams, the Bantams will head into the game looking to get one over the hosts and avoid consecutive first-round exits.

Match preview

Blackburn Rovers failed to make it five consecutive opening-day victories in the Championship on Saturday when they fell to a 1-0 defeat against 10-man West Bromwich Albion.

In a game where Darnell Furlong received his marching orders, Northern Irish sensation Isaac Price struck in the 15th minute to hand West Brom a dream start to the new league campaign at the Hawthorns.

Prior to that, Blackburn Rovers enjoyed a solid pre-season campaign as they picked up four wins from their first four warm-up games, scoring nine goals and conceding twice, before losing 3-1 against Dutch outfit NEC Nijmegen in their final friendly outing on August 2.

Valerien Ismael’s side narrowly missed out on a promotion playoff spot last season, when they picked up 66 points from 46 matches to finish seventh in the Championship table, just two points off sixth-placed Bristol City in the final playoff spot.

Blackburn now turn their focus to the EFL Cup, where they hammered Stockport County 6-1 in the opening round last season before crashing out in the second round courtesy of a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Blackpool on August 27.

On the other hand, Bradford City were denied consecutive victories in the new League One campaign as they played out a goalless draw with Northampton Town on Saturday.

A total of 18 shots were fired at the Sixfields Stadium, but neither goalkeeper would end up picking the ball out of the back of the net, with a draw being a fair result upon reflection.

This followed a 2-1 victory over Wycombe Wanderers in the league curtain-raiser on August 2, when Antoni Sarcevic and Bobby Pointon netted first-half goals to kick off the season on a positive note.

Graham Alexander’s men now get underway in the EFL Cup, where they will be looking to surpass their first-round exit from last season, when they fell to a penalty-shootout loss against Grimsby Town after a 1-1 draw in normal time at Blundell Park.

However, Bradford have been drawn against an opposing side, whom they have failed to get the better of in any of their last eight competitive meetings, losing five and claiming three draws since a 2-1 victory in September 1987.

Blackburn Rovers form (all competitions):

Bradford City form (all competitions):

Experienced forward Todd Cantwell was a notable absentee for Blackburn in the league opener against West Brom at the weekend and the 27-year-old is set to continue his spell on the club’s injury table.

Fellow Englishman Hayden Carter has been sidelined through a knee injury and will play no part for the hosts while midfielder Adam Forshaw has been out of action since coming off injured in May’s game against Sheffield United.

Summer signing Dion De Neve was forced off injured at half time against West Brom last time out through injury and the Belgian midfielder is a major doubt for Tuesday’s clash.

Neill Byrne has missed each of the Bantams’ last three games since picking up an injury in the pre-season clash against Middlesbrough on July 23 and the Irish defender is out of contention for the visitors.

He is joined on the sidelines by 34-year-old Andy Cook, who has been ruled out since January through a severe injury, while defender Ciaran Kelly is set to sit out his fifth consecutive game.

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:

Toth; Alebiosu, Hyam, McLoughlin, Ribeiro; Travis, Tronstad; Hedges, Henriksson, Kargbo; Ohashi

Bradford City possible starting lineup:

Walker; Tilt, Wright, Pennington; Touray, Leigh, Power, Neufville; Pointon, Sarcevic, Humphrys

We say: Blackburn Rovers 2-0 Bradford City

Bradford City have started out this season on a strong note, but they will need to show their mettle on Tuesday against a superior Blackburn Rovers side.

Ismael’s men are unbeaten in their last eight competitive games against the visitors and we are tipping them to bounce back from their opening-day loss against West Brom with a comfortable win here.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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