John Eustace Confirms Disappointing Double Blackburn Rovers Injury Blow Ahead Of Burnley FC Clash

Ahead of the highly anticipated East Lancashire derby on Saturday, John Eustace has confirmed his side will go into battle without two of this season’s standout performers.

An injury to Japanese sensation Yuki Ohashi will definitely keep him out of Saturday’s derby, while Eustace confirmed that an illness to Todd Cantwell also looks set to see him sidelined.

While Cantwell sat out of Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Leeds United too, Ohashi did play, but was forced off due to injury, and it looks like that will keep him out of what is arguably Rovers’ biggest game of the campaign.

Blackburn’s squad isn’t shaping up the best ahead of Saturday’s mammoth clash, as they were already without a raft of other first team players before this latest blow.

Eustace is now faced with a huge selection headache ahead of the weekend, and not to kind managers like, as this latest blow sees them lose two players who he acknowledged have been key for them this season.

Speaking before the Burnley game, he said: “I thought it was a really nasty tackle on Yuki in that first half. He’s been for a scan today, I’m sure he won’t be available for the weekend.

“Todd Cantwell is still poorly. Unfortunately, he’s had this virus, so we’ll have to see on him.

“They start as our 9 and 10 most weeks, so it’s a huge miss for us.”

These two latest casualties add to lengthy injury list at Ewood Park which already contains Arnor Sigurdsson, Lewis Travis, Harry Pickering, Hayden Carter and Scott Wharton, so Eustace’s squad is looking a little thin on the ground.

Injuries offer the chance for Blackburn’s fringe players to step up

In the absence of some of Rovers’ big-hitters, others have the chance to step up and make themselves a hero in a game that carries huge importance in the local area.

Makhtar Gueye is perhaps the player with the biggest chance to shine, as in the absence of key attackers, the goalscoring emphasis falls largely at his feet.

He hasn’t particularly excelled on that front so far this season, with just one goal in his debut Championship campaign, but with his six assists serving as the joint-third highest tally in the league, he’s served a purpose to the team.