Preview: FA Cup Fifth Round - Blackburn v. West Ham

After their thrilling win over Liverpool in stoppage time of extra time, West Ham will be hoping to make the FA Cup Quarter Finals for the first time since 2010-11.

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Article by Liam Clarkson

Date: Sunday 21 February

Time: 2:00 p.m.

TV Coverage: BT Sport (UK), ESPN (Australia)

Last 5 matches (all competitions): Blackburn – DWDLW, West Ham – DWLWD

Whilst the win over Liverpool was a tricky two-legged affair, the Irons will be counting on a less tense affair this time around against a Blackburn Rovers side sitting 18th which only recently ended a nine-match winless streak in the Championship.

Although the match appears to be a simple task for the Hammers, going a goal behind at Ewood Park could lead to an uncomfortable Sunday afternoon.

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Blackburn’s primary strengths lie in their defending.

The Rovers have kept 11 clean sheets in all competitions this season and their goals conceded record is 27 in 30 Championship matches, the equal fourth-best of any side in the division.

Now obviously, if they have conceded so few goals and remain 18th, you would think that their attack is their main weakness. And it is.

Even with brilliant striker Jordan Rhodes, who has recently departed for Middlesbrough, Blackburn’s attack has produced only 28 goals in 30 league matches, which happens to be the fourth-worst in the division.

Only two players, Ben Marshall (five goals) and Tony Watt (three) have scored more than two goals this season in all competitions.

It’s fair to say that if Blackburn are to triumph on Sunday, it will most likely be a product of resolute defence rather than a rampant attack.

As for West Ham, the pieces are yet to properly fall into place this season.

Following Manchester United’s untimely defeat to Sunderland in the early game last Saturday, the Irons could have jumped to fifth with a win at lowly Norwich.

Alas, it was not to be. After a relatively dull first half, the match sprang into life in the second, with Dimitri Payet and Mark Noble each scoring within the space of two minutes following goals to Robbie Brady and Wes Hoolahan.

If Emmanuel Emenike had positioned himself better on two separate occasions, the Hammers could have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Instead, both sides left Carrow Road extremely frustrated.

Hopefully, that frustration will translate into elation for Slaven Bilić’s side on Sunday. If the attack goes through the motions and the defence snuff out the Blackburn attack as they should, then West Ham will win with no problems.

This however, is the FA Cup. These matches tend to not follow any sort of script, especially if there’s an underdog involved.

Though I would love to see the Irons coast through to the Quarter Finals without any problems, Blackburn will be throwing everything at this game as their league ambitions have long been quashed.

My prediction: Blackburn will score a late equaliser to ensure that the Boleyn Ground sees FA Cup football at least one more time.

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