Blackburn Rovers v Palace

Ewood Park, Wednesday 7.45pm

Iain Dowie

Team news

Dowie said: "We have got technical players and are going to play a passing game. Football is an entertainment sport and I want my team to entertain.

"We are not blessed with big, physical players. We tried to get more players like that last summer and in the transfer window and could not get them over the line.

"If Andy Johnson comes in for a bruising again I am sure he will meet fire with fire. We are not frightened of being competitive."

Andy Johnson hopes to have recovered from a dead leg to play. Mikele Leigertwood (foot) and Michael Hughes (groin) face fitness tests.

Darren Powell (flu) and Nicola Ventola (leg) are both out.

Rovers' stars Paul Dickov (knee) and Robbie Savage (groin) and both doubtful.

Blackburn Rovers - league stats

Position	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
14th	32	8	12	12	36

Full league table

Blackburn Rovers - current form

Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against
5	2	2	1	4	1

Full form table

Our away record v Blackburn Rovers

Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against
19	5	4	10	22	32

Last five results

Date	Type	Home Team	Score	Away Team
11/12/2004	League	Crystal Palace	0 - 0	Blackburn Rovers
22/12/2000	League	Crystal Palace	2 - 3	Blackburn Rovers
12/08/2000	League	Blackburn Rovers	2 - 0	Crystal Palace
29/04/2000	League	Crystal Palace	2 - 1	Blackburn Rovers
20/10/1999	League	Blackburn Rovers	1 - 1	Crystal Palace

All time results

One to watch

Morten Gamst Pedersen

Blackburn Rovers's top scorer

Paul Dickov - 9 goals

Blackburn Rovers's bad boy

Paul Dickov, Lucas Neill, Robbie Savage - 9 0

Palace old boys

Matt Jansen

Described, in my book, as the best thing to come out of Norway since the piece of cod I had for dinner this evening; Morten Gamst Pedersen is one of the rare breed of players at Blackburn who actually try to make their football remotely exciting and bearable. Two-footed and equally as comfortable on either wing, although prefers to play on the left, Pedersen has burst onto the Premiership scene in the last few months with a number of highly impressive performances.

The 23 year old from the coastal Norwegian town of Vadso was signed by, then Blackburn boss, Graeme Souness for £1.5 million from Norwegian side, Tromso, found life in the Premiership a little difficult to begin with. His bit-part role in the side soon ended just after Christmas when, coupled with his impressive form for the national side, he came into a Blackburn side steering themselves away from the relegation dogfight.

Pedersen has an extremely impressive talent to boast that he is equally as good on either foot, and believe me – both feet are like two cannons waiting to be lit. With his pace, comes his direct mindset, he’ll run for goal, brushing people aside like they’re not there, along with an array of skills and superb agility, the guy seems to be an extremely difficult one to catch.

Whilst Pedersen is an impressive player with the ball at his feet, Blackburn possess ex-Millwall man, Steven Reid in their midfield who has been impressing of late. Another man who may be one to look out for is Scot, Paul Dickov, whose goals have seen Blackburn solidify a firm base to the squad that sees them concede very few goals.

Pedersen though, for his two-footed Norwegian magic and direct head for goal is the one to watch on Wednesday.

Last meeting

Palace 0-0 Blackburn Rovers

Saturday December 11 2004

Palace: Kiraly, Boyce, Hall, Popovic, Granville, Routledge (Torghelle, 82), Riihilahti (Andrews, 53), Watson, Hughes, Kolkka (Lakis, 73), Johnson

Subs not used: Speroni, Leigertwood

Bookings: Andrews, Hughes, Torghelle

Blackburn Rovers: Friedel, Neill, Short, Todd, Matteo, Reid (Thompson, 71), Flitcroft, Ferguson, Emerton, Dickov, Bothroyd (Stead, 80)

Subs not used: Enckelman, Johansson, Gallagher

Bookings: Dickov, Todd, Thompson

Sent Off: Thompson (88)