Leeds ensured they would end 2024 top of the Championship with Sunday evening’s 1-0 victory at Derby County, a result which has left Daniel Farke’s Whites with a three-point buffer in the automatic promotion spots after third-placed Burnley’s goalless draw at Middlesbrough. Farke shuffled his pack by making four changes at Derby and his team will be back in action just three days later with the New Year’s Day hosting of Blackburn.
John Eustace’s side will be looking to record a league double over Leeds having subjected Farke’s Whites to a 1-0 defeat in the reverse fixture at Ewood Park at the end of November. Blackburn sit in the division’s play-offs places but fell to a 1-0 defeat in Sunday’s hosting of Hull City. Rovers have taken just one point from their last three games and now have a trip to the league leaders on the agenda for their first test of 2025.
Seven men, though, are out of the New Year’s Day contest and one more is doubtful. Here, we run through the injuries from both camps.
1. Harry Pickering (out)
Rovers left back Pickering suffered a knee injury in the 1-0 defeat at Millwall four days before Christmas and the 25-year-old will be out for between eight and 12 weeks.. Photo: Alex Livesey
2. Lewis Travis (out)
Rovers captain Travis was involved in a heated exchange with Whites boss Daniel Farke after November's 1-0 defeat for Leeds in the reverse fixture at Ewood Park but Travis is now out with a hamstring injury. The midfielder suffered the injury in the 1-0 defeat at Millwall four days before Christmas, a blow which was expected to keep him out for six weeks. Photo: Martin Rickett
3. Arnor Sigurdsson (out)
Blackburn's Iceland international attacking midfielder Sigurdsson is out with a calf injury and boss John Eustace said ahead of the Boxing Day clash against Sunderland that the 25-year-old was still a few weeks away from being back. Photo: Clive Brunskill
4. Scott Wharton (out)
Blackburn defender Wharton suffered an ACL injury in April's 3-1 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday and also damaged other parts of his knee. The 27-year-old was instantly ruled out for the remainder of 2024 and Wharton is targeting a return for pre-season training next summer. Photo: Mike Egerton
5. Hayden Carter (out)
Blackburn defender Carter suffered a knee injury in October's goalless draw at West Brom and then underwent surgery. Boss Eustace said at the time that the 25-year-old was looking at two to three months out and Carter has yet to feature since. Photo: Ben Roberts Photo
6. Ilia Gruev (out)
United's Bulgarian international midfielder Gruev remains on the comeback trail from knee surgery. Photo: George Wood