Stoke City's formidable defensive record faces a test at Ewood Park against a Blackburn Rovers side planning changes after a heavy defeat. The Potters travel north on Tuesday with the best defensive numbers in the Championship since the start of September, having conceded just 16 goals in 13 games this season to sit seventh with 23 points. Their record of seven wins, two draws and four losses has them five points behind leaders Middlesbrough.

Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray has confirmed his team must improve. "Rovers must produce a better performance after being outclassed by Swansea City at the weekend," he said. That 4-0 loss on Saturday leaves Rovers 13th in the table, and Mowbray is expected to recall suspended midfielder Sam Morsy and defender Hayden Carter, with Harry Pickering missing through illness.

Stoke's strong foundation

Steven Schumacher's side are building on their best start to a second-tier season since relegation in 2018. Their recent form shows three wins, one draw and one loss from the last five matches, a run that includes a 2-0 victory over Preston North End last time out. Goals from Ben Wilmot and Jack McGlynn sealed that win, with McGlynn likely to feature again after scoring for the third time in the league.

Stoke's defensive solidity is a key reason they are just five points off the top of the Championship. They have collected seven wins from their opening 13 fixtures, defying expectations after a bottom-half finish last term. The team has scored 20 goals, giving them a positive goal difference of four.

Blackburn's selection puzzle

In addition to Morsy's return, Gady Beyuku is in contention to start after replacing the ill Pickering at the weekend. Todd Cantwell, Dapo Afolayan and Andri Gudjohnsen are expected to keep their attacking places. For Stoke, injuries rule out Eric Bocat, Ato Ampah and Lamine Cisse, though Sam Gallagher and Aaron Cresswell are nearing returns. Ethan Galbraith, booked against Preston, is one caution away from a suspension.

Stoke will look to extend an unbeaten run against Blackburn that now spans four matches, with the last meeting a 1-1 draw on 11 April 2026. Their next challenge is the away fixture against 13th-placed Blackburn on Tuesday 3 November. Captain Viktor Johansson is set to continue in goal as Stoke aim to tighten their grip on a play-off place.

The original report is at lancashiretelegraph.co.uk