There could be a case for billing this as a battle of which team drifts off first. Arsenal cannot finish above third and will not be overly troubled by the thought of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City wheezing down their necks. Blackburn might cast themselves as the types to rattle Arsenal but this fixture usually brings an easy win for today’s visitors. Sam Allardyce will no doubt impress on his charges the importance of climbing at least one place up the table, with each rung on the ladder worth an extra £720,000. James Callow

Venue Ewood Park, Monday 5pm (ESPN) Tickets £28-£35 (0871 222 1444) Last season Blackburn 0 Arsenal 4 Referee M Atkinson

This season’s matches 29 Y118, R6, 4.21 cards per game

Odds Blackburn 11-4 Arsenal 15-13 Draw 5-2

Blackburn Rovers

Subs from Brown, Grella, Samba, Emerton, Diouf, Jacobsen, Chimbonda, Hoilett, Kalinic, Di Santo, Bunn, Basturk

Doubtful Samba (groin), Emerton (hamstring)

Injured None

Suspended None

Form guide DLDDWW

Disciplinary record Y56 R2

Leading scorer Dunn 8

Arsenal

Subs from Mannone, Traoré, Mérida, Eastmond, Eduardo, Vela, Arshavin,

Bendtner, Walcott

Doubtful Arshavin (calf)

Injured Almunia (wrist, 9 May), Fábregas (leg, Aug), Denílson (groin, Aug), Djourou (knee, Aug), Gibbs (foot, Aug), Gallas (calf, Aug), Vermaelen (calf, Aug), Ramsey (broken leg, Dec) Suspended None

Form guide DLLWDW Disciplinary record Y52 R1

Leading scorer Fábregas 15

Match pointers

• Arsenal have scored 14 goals in their last three league meetings with Blackburn

• Paul Robinson has let in 47 goals in his last 15 league games against Arsenal

• Blackburn have not lost back-to-back home Premier League matches since Sam Allardyce took over in 2008

• Arsenal have dropped 12 points from winning positions away from home this season, more than any other team except Wigan (13)

• Blackburn have hit the goal frame 17 times this season, a joint high with Liverpool

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