Belgium international Emile Mpenza is pushing for his first start for the club as Georgios Samaras and Bernado Corradi were both ineffective in the defeat by Wigan.
Darius Vassell (hamstring) and Paul Dickov (toe) could also come into contention after being sidelined through injury.
Stephen Ireland, who found the net in spectacular fashion against Preston in the last round, is determined that the Blues' cup run will keep on rolling.
"We are hungry for success here," he said.
History
"It was a huge occasion for us at Preston. When you reach the quarter-finals it hits you that you are only two good 90-minute performances away from the final and maybe creating history."
Blackburn will be without the suspended David Dunn after the midfielder picked up his fifth booking in the win over Bolton last week.
But boss Mark Hughes hopes he will not have any new injury worries to contend with, and that Congo striker Shabani Nonda will be back in contention after missing the Reebok Stadium win through illness.
Defender Andy Todd is still out after undergoing an operation on his injured knee this week while Robbie Savage, Steven Reid and Andre Ooijer remain long-term absentees.
Blackburn Rovers (from): Friedel, Emerton, Henchoz, Khizanishvili, Nelsen, Samba, Warnock, Berner, Bentley, Tugay, Mokoena, Pedersen, McCarthy, Roberts, Nonda, Brown, Derbyshire, Gallagher.
Manchester City (from): Weaver, Richards, Dunne, Distin, Ball, Trabelsi, Barton, Ireland, Beasley, Samaras, Corradi, Isaksson, Jihai, Dabo, Vassell, Hamann, Dickov, Sturridge, Mpenza, Miller.
Key opponent: Benni McCarthy - Striker has been a reliable source of goals for Blackburn this season
Prediction: Blackburn 1 City 1 - The Blues haven't beaten Blackburn since August 2003 and have been soundly beaten in the last three games. A win is unlikely but City's fortunes must turn around soon
Agree with the prediction? Have your say.
You can get 10/1 on City winning 1-0 with Betfred. For this and more odds, click here.
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Bit of a no brainer pearce,what! did you wake up and think, hang on my forwards are'nt scoring, Lets try something different. You really should stick to one job, the england under 21's.
Vass must not play if there is any risk of aggravating his injury. He is utterly crucial to the next two months. I don't really care what team thicko puts out for this game - the least important game we have in view of what's to come. If we win fine, but if we lose I won't be devastated. The main objective is staying in the Premiership. I would play Miller and Mpenza or Sturridge up front, forget about Corradi and the confidence-shattered Greek, Dickov cannot play at this level any more. There must also be a holding midfielder on the pitch in all remaining games, even if that means playing the pedestrian Dabo and the past-it Hamman. Pearce must grasp that there's no point in playing an enfeebled midfield against any Premiership opposition, as the Wigan game showed - and as we fans all knew.
Don't want to follow in the Ted Knott, Prophet of Doom footsteps but my prediction is a draw and then lose the replay with injuries/suspensions to key players.
Ablueneville... haven't you been wittering on for ages about getting behind the team, being positive... and now you're predicting we'll go no further! Shame on you and any other so-called City fan that doesn't believe we can do it on Sunday. I just hope you've not got a ticket for the game as we need every one of the 7,500 believing we can win.
we ain't got a strikeforce...
Our forwards are rubbish-fact.Shuffling them makes little or no difference-fact.
Mpenza hasn't played any significant competitive football prior to last weeks
defeat-fact.
To win a football match you have to put the ball in the net.
CTID
If SP is true to form he'll continue to pick Weaver & will play Vassell (who will get injured & miss key games) & Dickov (who will get booked or sent off).
In my dream Mpenza scores the winner in injury time, we then comprehensively thrash Chelsea in the Semis and destroy a Man Utd treble by sticking 6 past them in the final. Then I wake up.
LOTS OF BLUES TALKING WITH THERE "HEARTS ", I FEAR THE WORSE, HOPE WE HAVE SOME OF THE LUCK THE OTHER LOT HAVE HAD FOR THE LAST FEW GAMES, COME ON CITY.
Ireland said we are 2 good performances away from the final - sorry son but we've not had 2 good performances yet this year - if we do I hope they come in the league and soon!
I also hope that Vass isnt risked.I think we would all like to see Mpenza and Sturridge up front. Blackburn have not much pace at the back with Nelson and Samba so we need to use pace upfront. The opposite of last week! No Abdoun which is a pity and no Johnson. Weaver,Sun,Distin,Dunne,Ball, Barton,Trabelsi,Beasley,Richards,Mpenza and Sturridge. Subs:Hammann,Corradi,Isaksson,Ireland,Dickov
Few things we MUST do in this game
1. Play Richards in midfield - will bring much drive to the team and scare the life out of the defence when running at them with pace!
2. Play experienced fullbacks ie. Trabelsi and ball, need to stop morten gamst and bently getting any sort of room and no silly freekicks!!
3. Play our Best goalkeeper, we all know who that is, Pearce surely you do too!
4. Mpenza Must start!
Come on City!! Semi's here we come!
Weaver Sun Ball Distin Dunne Richards Ireland Barton Mpenza Sturridge Vassell
Jobs a goodun
442: the swede in goal behind dunee, distin, trabel right and ball on left. didi and joey in the middle, richards on right , stevey on the left, vas and empenza upfront. On the bench, sun, sturridge, corradi, miller and weaver
stuart pearce needs to be thinking more about stopping rovers scoring,having seven put past them in the last two games against blackburn i think he is running out of ideas.roll on sunday a full house at ewood a great atmosphere and victory to rovers
I think this will be the line up 4-4-2
GK Weaver LB Richards CB Dunne CB Distin RB Ball LM Trabelsi CM Ireland CM Barton RM Vassell CF Mpenza CF Sturrige Subs Isaksson Bearsley Hamann Corrardi Dickov city to win 2-1
Has to be a defence team. 3 at the back
( Dunne, Distin and Ball ) a 5 man midfield of Richards, Joey, Dabo, Ireland, Sun. 2 up front, Mepenza and Miller.The 2 wing backs Richards and Sun have the biggest tasks, and a win depends on their performance. Its an important game but like many have said, not as big aas the league games to follow.
Agree that we can't risk Vassel if he's not 100%. If he can't start up front with Mpenza then it has to be Corradi (Samaras to come on late if we need to score). As for the rest of the squad, it might be time to revive the 3-5-2 wit Hamann holding. It would be great if the old German could help anchor us in midfield. Stu often gets them playing well just as he's under the most pressure - let's hope this will hold on Sunday. Come on boyz, give us something to cheer about!
4-4-2.
Isaksson/Weaver (bit torn on that one).
Then left to right:
Ball, Distin, Dunne & Trabelsi.
Sun, Ireland, Barton & Richards.
Mpenza & Sturridge.
Subs (attacking bench): Isaksson or Weaver, Beasley, Vassell, Dickov & Samaras.
Prediction: Draw, with a "who knows" for the replay.
I think Pearce will go 3-5-2 with Weaver, Richards, Dunne, Distin, Ball, Trabelsi, Barton, Ireland, Corradi, Jihai, Vassell.
I would have Sun Jahai in the center of mid field and build the team around him.
This is being written before the teams are announced. In my mind it just shows what a hopeless position we have reached when so many contributors on here want Sun as a starter. This guy isn't a Premier League standard player. I know people will say he was the best player against Wigan - perhaps so, but what was teh result? Yep, we lost! Our major weakness is we have very poor service to our front man (Corradi can score if good crosses are put in for him as against Pompey) who then get blamed. No way is sun part of the answer. Having players like him in a starting 11 is part of the problem. Still, I'll be supporting the lads whoever plays - just Pearce has the guts to make some changes like bringing in Isaakson. And get Onouha fit - that will liberate Richards to push forwards. C'mon let's beat Blackburn.
Two Words - Pearce out
That was a dreadful performance this afternooon.
I would have minded losing following a good performance, but to only generate 4 shots and not get one on target in just embarrassing.
There was no real effort in midfield, and to offer £40,000+ to Dusty Bin, who cannot complete a pass to a colleague who is less than 5 yards away is just disgusting.
The club is in free fall, get rid of Pearce now before it is too late....48,000 seater stadium used by 20,000 next year if we're not careful.
poor poor poor poor perfromance again no goal; S/P GO NOW WHERES YOU HEAD
NOT WITH CITY ;FORWARDS NEED TO Score GOALS
BYE BYE BYE. DO SOME GOOD FOR THE FANS AND LEAVE NOW TAKE YOUR SIGNINGS WITH YOU.
We deserve to go out of the fa cup and we will go down if keep playing the like that.This afternoon there was no spirit in the team and we haven`t got any decent strikers corradi and samaras are the biggest wastes of space since we have signed yet
i think we should all rally to the cause and get off physcos back.hes doing a wonderful job in difficult circumstances.