We’ve reached the FA Cup fifth round and this is where the remaining sixteen clubs can really start to dream about a place at Wembley. There are drastically different teams left in the competition and with so much on the line, we’re excited to see how these eight games play out. Today, we’ll be taking a look at one of the most interesting matches of the round as Blackburn Rovers play host to Newcastle United.
Blackburn Form GuideIt’s been a long time since Blackburn Rovers were viewed as genuine contenders for promotion to the Premier League and while they don’t look like making a run for the playoffs this season, there’s a decent chance they could make some noise in the remainder of this competition. They have a strong core and with this clash being at Ewood Park, we expect the atmosphere to be rocking.
In terms of the draw, Blackburn have certainly been quite lucky up to this point - but they still did well to look impressive in the results they gained. They were given a scare by Cambridge before racing out to a 5-2 win, and then against Wrexham, they handled the fairytale story well in a 4-1 win.
Newcastle Form GuideWhile things are certainly moving in a positive direction for Newcastle United Football Club, things haven’t been smooth sailing for Eddie Howe’s men this season. They’re currently lingering around mid-table and while there’s still a decent chance they could win silverware between now and the end of May, they need to make some big tactical adjustments.
In the third round, Newcastle had a pretty good time to say the least as they took on bitter rivals Sunderland and managed to dominate them in a 3-0 win. Then, in the fourth, they went on the road to Fulham and came away from Craven Cottage with a nice 2-0 victory.
Match PredictionIn the Alan Shearer derby, we believe Blackburn are going to give everything they’ve got in pursuit of a run to Wembley. The visitors have been struggling to build up momentum in the last couple of weeks but even with that being the case, we’re still going to predict a Newcastle win.
