Morgan Whittaker’s 19th goal of the season gave Plymouth a valuable 1-1 draw at 10-man Blackburn in the Sky Bet Championship.

The struggling duo both went into this game knowing they could be in the bottom three by the end of the day and the early signs were good for Rovers, who led through Sammie Szmodics’ 27th goal of the season.

But the hosts elected to sit in and protect their lead, with that approach yielding chances to the impressive Pilgrims who created numerous opportunities in the first half, with Ryan Hardie and Bali Mumba both fluffing their lines with just the goalkeeper to beat.

Plymouth’s chances improved when Kyle McFadzean was sent off early in the second half and they rescued a point their performance deserved when Whittaker slammed home at the far post in the 74th minute.

Both sides are three points clear of danger but where they would be without two of the Championship’s leading marksmen is anyone’s guess.

The wait for a first win under John Eustace goes on for Blackburn who are winless in seven and although Argyle have won once in that time, there was plenty to be encouraged by at Ewood Park.

Blackburn settled quickest and clinically took the lead in the seventh minute when Yasin Ayari found Szmodics 20 yards out, who stepped inside and curled the ball superbly into the right corner.

But Plymouth settled and Hardie, having already stung Leo Wahlstedt’s palms, missed a gilt-edged chance when a long clearance fooled the Rovers defence but, with just the goalkeeper to beat, he slotted wide.

They should have immediately paid the price when Szmodics found Arnor Sigurdsson 12 yards out but he struck the outside of the post with the goal at his mercy.

Plymouth opened Blackburn up once again in the 32nd minute but Mumba’s touch was poor, allowing Wahlstedt to gather.

The chances continued and Lewis Gibson’s ball found Mickel Miller, who skidded a shot past the far post as the onslaught continued.

Blackburn’s vulnerability to the long ball was exploited when McFadzean was dismissed after hauling Hardie down when he was through on goal.

The visitors came close again just after the hour when Hardie evaded a tackle before rolling the ball wide.

Plymouth’s pressure finally paid off 16 minutes from time when Miller’s cross found substitute Alfie Devine, whose left-foot shot was brilliantly saved by Wahlstedt. Although Hardie’s rebound was blocked on the line, there was no denying Whittaker who slotted home at the far post.

To their credit, Blackburn pushed for a winner and only a save from sprawling goalkeeper Michael Cooper denied Harry Pickering just minutes later.

Whittaker almost won it with a piledriver that flew past the post but Plymouth had to settle for a point.

Luke Williams has challenged Swansea to build on their 2-1 victory over Blackburn.

Williams finally earned his first home league victory at the fifth attempt thanks to first-half goals from Joe Allen and Jamie Paterson.

The Sky Bet Championship’s top scorer Sammie Szmodics pulled a goal back for Blackburn just past the hour mark, but Rovers were unable to make their second-half dominance pay.

It meant back-to-back Championship wins for the Swans for the first time since October and Williams wants more.

“We started on the front foot and were very strong,” said Williams. “Back-to-back wins are brilliant because they start to build belief.

“I am really proud of how we withstood that comeback from them in the latter stages of the game because the opposition had nothing to lose, threw everything forward at us and we stood up to a lot.

“But we need to improve how we attack a lead, rather than defend a lead. That’s the bit we need to improve – to see a game out more comfortably. It was more anxious than I would have liked.

“But I felt something from the connection between the players and the fans that I hadn’t felt before. We have to build on it.

“It was a really good feeling. The fans have been great. After we have lost, they have shown us some love, but it always feels much better when you win.”

Blackburn are now without a win in their last six matches in all competitions and although they are 17th in the table, they are only a point above the drop zone.

Rovers manager John Eustace said: “I’m disappointed to have lost the game because I felt in the first half we started slowly and conceded two really poor goals.

“That hasn’t been like these boys since I’ve come in, but I thought we grew into the game and we still had three or four really good chances where we should have scored. We need to be more clinical.

“The character in the group is fantastic. We kept going and we scored a good goal to get back into it. But, unfortunately, we couldn’t quite get the equaliser.

“I thought we deserved a point at the end of the day. The way we started we were a bit sluggish. It could possibly have been because of the midweek game (against Newcastle in the FA Cup), but we have to be more clinical.

“We don’t give up and the fight is there for all to see. We have 11 big games coming up.”

Huddersfield manager Darren Moore was “frustrated” after his side were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw at Blackburn.

The Terriers fell behind early on after Adam Wharton intercepted Jonathan Hogg’s pass before slotting home from 10 yards.

Huddersfield responded impressively and their talismanic defender Michal Helik brilliantly directed his near-post header into the far corner to notch his eighth goal of the campaign midway through the first half.

The visitors had plenty of chances to seal victory, the best missed by Jack Rudoni in the first half while David Kasumu fired wide when clean through in the second half.

Despite seeing their winless run stretch to four Sky Bet Championship games, Moore believes the victories will come.

He said: “I know they had a lot more possession but I thought we had the clearer-cut chances, certainly we feel like as a team we’re going away a little bit frustrated with the chances we created.

“We could have capitalised more. I don’t want it to seem like a downer but the hard bit was the boys getting into those areas and finding the composure. The last bit was the final conversion because they were clear-cut chances for us to go and score.

“The positives are I’ve been quite happy with the way the boys have been showing the performances over the last half dozen, seven, eight games, in terms of we’re talking about us winning games.

“I keep saying to them that as long as they keep applying themselves, those draws will turn into wins because you’re certainly in the ascendency in winning games as opposed to losing games. We have to keep going.”

It is seven games without a win for Blackburn, who failed to work Lee Nicholls enough in the Huddersfield goal.

Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson felt that a first-half injury to Hayden Carter killed momentum but conceded his side did not create enough.

He said: “We are of course disappointed not to win the game. Huddersfield came with a very clear plan to sit back and rely on set-plays and transition moments.

“We know when a team sit back like that, it can be difficult to play through, with a lot of bodies behind the ball.

“I actually thought we started really bright. We scored an excellent goal, then I think with Hayden Carter, he got injured and it killed the momentum a bit and then we were playing too slow in that moment.

“We conceded a goal we shouldn’t have conceded of course, but all the credit to Huddersfield and Helik. He’s scored a lot of goals from set-pieces this season.

“The second half, I thought we dominated totally. We did a lot of good things until we came to around the box. What we’ve been really great at during this season is creating chances.

“I think with the possession we had, we didn’t create enough chances. I think we were lacking runs and were lacking quick play, instead taking too many touches around the box.”

Blackburn signed Andy Cole from Manchester United for £8million on this day in 2001.

The then 30-year-old had slipped down the pecking order at Old Trafford following the arrival of Ruud van Nistelrooy and therefore ended his seven-year stay in Manchester to move to Ewood Park.

Cole said at a press conference on the day he signed: “It was a big decision. When you leave a club like Manchester United it’s always going to be a big decision.

“I am 30 and it’s very important that in the next few years I’m playing football. That’s all I want to do. I don’t enjoy being on the bench.

“I am really looking forward to playing here. I spoke at great length to the manager and at what he was looking to do at the club and that made my mind up.”

Graeme Souness’ side were struggling in the Premier League but Cole netted 13 goals in 20 games to help Rovers to a 10th-placed finish and a piece of silverware in the form of the League Cup.

Cole scored the crucial winner in the final against Tottenham, who were managed by Glenn Hoddle, a prominent critic of Cole.

Despite his good form, Cole was not selected for England’s squad for the 2002 World Cup and subsequently announced his international retirement.

Cole scored 13 goals the following season as Blackburn finished sixth and was reunited with his former United strike partner Dwight Yorke.

He finished the 2003-04 campaign as Rovers’ top scorer with 11 goals but the club struggled and Cole’s relationship with Souness deteriorated to the point where the striker reported his manager to the Professional Footballers’ Association, accusing him of unfair treatment.

Cole was allowed to leave on a free transfer that summer, signing for Fulham, after scoring 37 goals across 100 games for Blackburn.

Souness, who branded Cole and Yorke “babies”, said: “It’s no secret that Cole and I didn’t see eye to eye in how I wanted football played and I think it was best for everyone that he went.”

Championship bottom club Sheffield Wednesday recorded just their second win of the season as they beat Blackburn 3-1 at Hillsborough.

Bailey Cadamarteri, Marvin Johnson and Josh Windass were on target as the hosts ended the four-match winless run they had endured since they broke their duck against Rotherham in late October.

The in-form Sammie Szmodics had scored an equaliser for the visitors, who would have moved into the play-off places with a win.

Wednesday boss Danny Rohl handed a recall to Windass after suspension, with Johnson making way.

The Blackburn line-up showed two changes with Harry Leonard and Scott Wharton coming in while Tyrhys Dolan and Lewis Travis missed out through injury and suspension respectively.

There was an early blow for the hosts when Dominic Iorfa pulled up inside the opening minute with an injury. After receiving treatment, he was forced to go off.

Cadamarteri, the son of former Everton and Sheffield United striker Danny, opened his senior goalscoring account as he gave the Owls the lead after just five minutes.

On his second senior start, the 18-year-old produced a good near-post finish after connecting with Windass’ low cross.

Blackburn’s Callum Brittain fired off target with an effort from inside the area as the visitors tried to respond.

But Windass threatened twice in quick succession, first with a long-range shot which was well saved by by Leopold Wahlstedt and then seeing an effort blocked.

George Byers also tested Wahlstedt, with the keeper getting down low to his left to make the save.

Blackburn enjoyed a good spell towards the end of the half.

Di’Shon Bernard did well to intercept and clear when Harry Pickering played a dangerous ball across the face of goal. Hayden Carter then had a shot blocked by Bambo Diaby before Szmodics had a couple of chances, seeing a shot on the turn saved by Cameron Dawson and then having an angled effort comfortably saved.

Cadamarteri had a good chance to score soon after the interval, firing straight at Wahlstedt after receiving a pass from Barry Bannan.

Szmodics equalised in the 65th minute when he met James Hill’s cross with a far-post header to score his seventh goal in five appearances.

But Wednesday regained the lead with 12 minutes left when half-time substitute Johnson made a driving run into the area and fired hard and low into the bottom corner.

To add to Blackburn’s woes, manager Jon Dahl Tomasson was shown a red card after protesting to the match officials following the goal.

Wednesday added a third goal in added time when Szmodics’ shot was charged down and the ball fell to Windass, who ran from his own half before slotting past the advancing Wahlstedt.

Sammie Szmodics celebrated his new contract by firing a second-half brace to help Blackburn to an enthralling 4-2 victory over Birmingham.

Wayne Rooney’s men had the better of the first half and Siriki Dembele clattered the woodwork but the visitors were made to pay for that profligacy.

Szmodics, who extended his Blackburn deal to 2026 on Tuesday, showed his clinical edge by lobbing John Ruddy in the 47th minute before another lofted finish five minutes later gave him his 13th of the campaign.

The game looked over when James Hill profited from a goalkeeping error to net his first Blackburn goal but Birmingham turned the game on its head.

Szmodics’ former Peterborough teammate Dembele netted a brace of his own with a classy 63rd-minute strike before a spectacular 20-yard effort gave the visitors real hope of an improbable point.

Harry Leonard’s injury-time strike made the points safe for Blackburn, who go seventh after a third win in four. Birmingham have now lost seven consecutive away games.

Birmingham weathered a fast Blackburn start and should have gone ahead in the 23rd minute when Lee Buchanan lashed over from close range.

They went closer three minutes later when Dembele tricked his way into the area on the left before unleashing an effort that rattled the crossbar.

Juninho Bacuna missed a glorious chance just before the break when he received the ball on the right but flashed a low shot beyond the far post, and Ruddy kept the scores level just before the break when he parried Callum Brittain’s curling shot behind.

Blackburn were ruthless after the break and Szmodics put them ahead in the 47th minute when he latched on to Adam Wharton’s defence-splitting pass before lobbing the stranded Ruddy.

He repeated the trick five minutes later, meeting Leonard’s clever pass before calmly lifting the ball over the goalkeeper from inside the area and it felt like game over in the 59th minute when Hill let fly with a speculative effort that Ruddy allowed to squirm beyond him and into the corner.

Birmingham came roaring back and superb skill from Dembele four minutes later saw him go past Brittain and fire clinically into the top corner.

It changed the complexion of the game and Leopold Wahlstedt made a smart near-post save from Bacuna before his brilliant reaction stop repelled Lukas Jutkiewicz’s point-blank header.

Dembele’s fifth of the season in the 78th minute, a stunning curling strike from the edge of the area that flew into the roof of the net, set up a grandstand finish.

But Leonard fired into the bottom-left corner in the second minute of injury time to secure the points as Ewood breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino wants his side to convert this season’s lack of continental competition into a successful set of domestic cup runs.

The Blues moved one step closer to securing a first Carabao Cup since 2015 with a 2-0 last-16 victory over Blackburn on Wednesday night, and will host Newcastle in their December 19 quarter-final.

Should Chelsea go all the way, Pochettino would become just the third Blues manager in club history, after Gianluca Vialli and Jose Mourinho, to lead the five-time winners to a League Cup in his first season with the club.

He said: “We need to think that this is an important competition for us because we are not in Europe, and that should be the priority for us, like the Premier League, and when in January we start the FA Cup.

“Of course, we need to think that we can win this competition.”

Chelsea, 11th in the Premier League with just 12 points from their first 10 top-flight matches, sit 10 points behind Aston Villa, currently occupying fifth and the Europa League group stage position, and may need to defy recent odds to lift the League Cup.

Every winner since the 2017/18 season has also finished top four in the Premier League, though Chelsea have reached two finals in the last five seasons.

Pochettino’s ranks got a boost on Wednesday night, welcoming captain Reece James back to the starting line-up for the first time since August and Benoit Badiashile marking his first appearance since May with the opener at Stamford Bridge, where Raheem Sterling fired in the Blues’ second.

Still, the Argentinian knows there is work to be done and a morale boost necessary to improve on their 2-0 defeat to Brentford last Saturday and just one Premier League win at home, August’s 3-0 victory over newly-promoted Luton, particularly with Premier League leaders Tottenham followed by title holders Manchester City up next.

He said: “After Saturday it was important for us to win the (Blackburn) game, to go through in the competition, of course too many (missed) chances, we need to be more clinical, but that you cannot change from Saturday to (Wednesday), and now we try building the confidence.

“Now we’re looking forward to the next round but now to prepare for the next two games that are so important and into the international break.”

Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson was impressed by his side’s fight against their Premier League challengers, with the average age of his starters just 22.6 years old.

Blackburn particularly impressed in the first half, defending well inside their 18-yard box to deny Chelsea early chances, while Rovers were left to rue a potential Conor Gallagher handball shout that could have been a game-changer for the Championship side.

He said: “It’s true, we always need a bit of luck when you’re playing against a team who is on another level, because Chelsea is of course an excellent team, but still we need to be honest.

“They were better than we were. Nothing wrong with that. They should be better than we were.”

Mauricio Pochettino defended Nicolas Jackson after the misfiring Chelsea striker was criticised by supporters during the Blues’ 2-0 home defeat to Brentford.

Jackson has scored two Premier League goals since his summer move from Villarreal.

Pochettino clarified that a fan had told the striker to “wake up” after a poor first-half display.

Ahead of their last-16 Carabao Cup clash against Blackburn, the Chelsea boss supported his player.

“We cannot abuse, even if you say ‘wake up’, because I think it’s not right,” Pochettino told a press conference on Tuesday.

“He suffered an injury (to his hand during the last international break), it’s difficult to train, to keep fit and to score goals.

“Nico (Jackson) needs support.

“He wants to help the team and for different reasons he’s not performing. He played with a cast after he broke his hand.

“Fans can criticise us and they’re frustrated but they need to analyse the situation.

“Jackson is young, he arrived this season and there are circumstances that didn’t help him perform his best.

“You think we should throw him into the bin and say he’s useless? We have to give the confidence.

“He’s our striker, he’s our player and it’s about supporting the player.”

Chelsea’s lack of cutting-edge in front of goal saw them beaten at home for the third time this season.

Argentinian Pochettino wants his young team to be more “aggressive and nasty”,  but noted that will come with experience.

He added: “We didn’t score because we need to decide ourselves.

“We were not aggressive enough and that’s why they had their chance in the second half and we conceded.

“We need to improve and to be more competitive, more nasty.

“That is experience, team experience, as a team we need more patience.

“We need to be competitive; I feel the responsibility and we are Chelsea, we need to win this type of game.”

Andrew Moran scored two and set up two as Blackburn overpowered Cardiff 5-2 in the Carabao Cup third round.

Jake Garrett’s composed finish set Rovers on their way in the 13th minute before Callum Robinson marked his first start of the season with a thunderous equaliser.

The 19-year-old Brighton loanee Moran’s first assist came in the 36th minute when his cutback was turned home by Arnor Sigurdsson on his home debut, but the much-changed Bluebirds hit back again through Kion Etete’s brilliant, improvised equaliser in first-half stoppage time.

A second-half Rovers blitz put the game beyond doubt. Moran profited from woeful defending to score his first goal in English football just after the break, before inducing a foul that led to a Sigurdsson spot kick that was well saved.

He doubled his tally and Blackburn’s lead in the 54th minute with a spectacular long-range effort, before feeding Dilan Markanday to register a fifth 15 minutes later.

Rovers have made the fourth round for the second consecutive campaign, having netted 17 times in their three outings in the competition so far this season.

Home debutant Leopold Wahlstedt made a sharp low save early on to deny Etete, but Blackburn clinically hit the front when James Hill’s long pass found Garrett who controlled brilliantly and slotted underneath Runar Alex Runarsson.

Cardiff equalised in the 18th minute when Robinson found space 25 yards out to rifle an unstoppable drive into the bottom left corner.

Harry Pickering flashed an effort just wide of the post soon after and Rovers reasserted control in the 36th minute when a slick counter attack saw Moran cut back perfectly for Sigurdsson to slam home from six yards.

Etete superbly equalised in first-half stoppage time, controlling a pass on the left and holding off two defenders before turning and producing a screamer that flew into the bottom right corner.

But they were put to the sword early in the second half. Runarsson made a sprawling save to deny Markanday but could do nothing in the 49th minute when Moran intercepted a Jonathan Panzo pass and slotted past the goalkeeper.

Moran then tricked his way into the box and was brought down by Ebou Adams but Sigurdsson’s low penalty was well saved by his Icelandic teammate Runarsson who parried behind.

The beleaguered keeper was helpless from the resulting corner though as Moran curled a sumptuous 25-yard drive beyond him in the 54th minute.

Adams denied Semir Telalovic a certain fifth soon after, while Bluebirds debutant James Crole curled on to the roof of the net.

But relentless Rovers hit their fifth in the 69th minute when Moran’s perfectly weighted pass found Markanday on the right who stroked home into the far corner via a post.