Blackburn Rovers Vs Bristol City: McCrorie Doubt Clouds Robins’ Trip to Ewood Park

Blackburn Rovers Vs Bristol City is set to take place at Ewood Park on Tuesday, February 24th (7. 45pm), with the Robins travelling after a 1-0 defeat at Swansea City and facing a likely absence in defence as Ross McCrorie continues to recover from concussion. The fixture matters now because Bristol City are chasing a quick return to form while Blackburn, under Michael O’Neill, have won consecutive matches and are fighting to distance themselves from the relegation zone.

Ross McCrorie concussion and Bristol City selection

Head coach Gerhard Struber confirmed that McCrorie remains in the club’s concussion protocol and that recent testing suggests "it looks not good for Tuesday. " Struber added, "Hopefully, [he will be available] on Friday, " targeting the home meeting with Watford on Friday, February 27th at 8pm as a more realistic return date. Struber said of the latest assessment, "He passed his test, but he was not super successful, " under the return-to-play procedures; McCrorie had missed the draw with Wrexham and the defeat at Swansea after sustaining the injury in training ahead of the Red Dragons' visit to Ashton Gate.

Blackburn Rovers Vs Bristol City: fixture, officials and broadcast

The Championship fixture is scheduled for 7. 45pm at Ewood Park with referee Mathew Donohue, assistants David Harrison and Callum Gough and fourth official Elliot Bell assigned to the match. Pay-on-the-night will not be available for away supporters; viewers in the UK can watch on Sky Sports + while overseas supporters can follow the game on Robins TV, with pre-match build-up beginning at 7. 15pm.

Gerhard Struber’s team changes and recent form

City made five changes in their most recent outing, with Delano Burgzorg and Noah Eile handed full debuts and Sinclair Armstrong, Jason Knight and George Earhty drafted into the starting XI. That reshuffle could influence selection at Ewood Park as Struber seeks a first win in three Championship matches. The defeat at Swansea, a 1-0 loss decided by a Zan Vipotnik strike, left Bristol City in 12th place in the Sky Bet Championship but only four points off sixth; Struber and defender Rob Atkinson both rued missed chances and urged the side to be more "ruthless" and "clinical. "

Michael O’Neill’s Blackburn and their recent revival

Blackburn sit 20th in the second tier after 33 games with a record of 10 wins, eight draws and 15 defeats. The club parted company with Valérien Ismaël in early February, with Damien Johnson taking temporary charge before Michael O’Neill was appointed on a short-term deal until the end of the season. O'Neill has overseen back-to-back victories — an away win at Queens Park Rangers followed by a 1-0 home success over local rivals Preston North End — leaving Rovers five points clear of the relegation zone and aiming to consolidate their position.

Squad notes, history and one to watch: Yūki Ōhashi

Blackburn’s profile data lists the club as formed in 1875, nicknamed Rovers, playing at Ewood Park and having finished seventh last season under the previous regime. One player highlighted as a danger is Yūki Ōhashi: born in Matsudo, Japan, he began his senior career at Shonan Bellmare in the J1 League where he made 90 appearances and scored 20 goals before switching to Sanfrecce Hiroshima, and he moved to English football in July 2024 on a three-year deal with Blackburn Rovers.

Standings, calendar pressure and what to watch at Ewood Park

With just 13 league games left to play this term, the timing matters for both clubs. Bristol City have claimed 11 points from nine matches in the calendar year and sit five places and four points adrift of sixth-placed Wrexham, meaning a short run of positive results could quickly close the gap but inconsistency has been a challenge. Blackburn, conversely, are looking to build on the momentum from O’Neill’s first two wins and to maintain the five-point cushion above the relegation places. Who is fit and available — particularly McCrorie for the Robins and the returning or in-form figures at Blackburn — will likely determine whether the midweek fixture yields three points or a tighter outcome.

Struber has emphasised the need to stay focused on the midweek clash, and both sides will head into Ewood Park with concrete selection questions, clear motivations and limited margin for error as the season reaches its decisive phase.