Blackburn Rovers ace reveals mentality change has been ‘best thing’ in play-offs fight, side now ‘thriving’

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Blackburn Rovers full-back believes his side are the “team in form” currently in the Championship heading into this weekend’s final day fixtures.

Blackburn Rovers head into the Championship’s final day round of fixtures currently in eighth-place as they face Sheffield United.

Chris Wilder’s side will finish in third, with Rovers heading to Bramall Lane needing a result to sneak into the play-offs, whilst also keeping an eye on results around them.

If Valerien Ismael’s side win on Saturday afternoon, while Coventry and Millwall drop points against Burnley and Middlesbrough respectively, they would be due back at the Blades for the play-off semi-final.

Taking three points from a side who’ve lost only four times at home this season will be no mean feat for Rovers, but one Blackburn star’s confidence is brimming ahead of the season-defining fixture ahead.

• READ MORE: Valerien Ismael shares significant Blackburn Rovers contract concern

Blackburn Rovers are ‘the team in form’ in Championship

Rovers are one of the form sides as the second tier climax approaches, with Ismael’s side winning their last four outings in a row – including a 1-0 win at Sunderland – which has seen them sneak into play-offs contention.

Blackburn’s 2-1 comeback win against Watford last week, came hours after Coventry’s controversial loss at Luton, which has left them just one point shy of sixth-spot heading into the final day fixtures.

Middlesbrough’s 0-0 draw against Norwich saw Michael Carrick’s side drop crucial points, which has left the top-six door even further ajar for Rovers to target, and full-back Callum Britain has made a telling admission about the play-offs “prospect” which has positively changed the course of Rovers’ season.

27-year-old Britain said, via the BBC: “Everyone’s buzzing, confidence is thriving, and we’re winning games,

“We knew what was on the line, we saw the Coventry game in the dressing room before and we knew we couldn’t come off that pitch without a win.

“We’re the team in form at the moment, we’re in a really good spot and all we can do is look forward to Saturday.

“I think the best thing we’ve done over the last few weeks is just enjoy each challenge as it comes and not think about the prospect of play-offs. I think that got into our heads a little bit.”

While fellow top-six hopefuls Boro and Coventry dropped points at the weekend, the comeback victory over the Hornets highlights the fighting spirit amongst Ismael’s side, who are hitting top speed at the perfect moment.

• READ MORE: Chris Wilder and Valerien Ismael have opposite opinions on spells at Watford

Blackburn Rovers have ‘hope’ ahead of Sheffield United clash

Wilder’s side beat Stoke 2-0 last time out, and with the head coach insistent on maintaining their winning culture ahead of the play-offs, the task at hand for Rovers to secure top-six will be severe.

Britain concluded: “I’m really, really, really happy that we can give the fans some sort of hope towards the end of the season.”

Rovers could not have peaked at a better time, but OPTA’s predicted final day outcome sees Ismael’s side finish outside of the top-six, projecting just a 13 percent chance of a play-offs finish.

Data, statistics and predictions can’t account for the dramatic nature of Championship football. If Ismael’s Rovers can translate their form from recent weeks into a victory at Bramall Lane, and results go their way, some previous reservations from Rovers supporters about Ismael will be silenced.