MX23RW : Friday, November 22 21:39:19| >> :120:52804:52804:
[monks data]
Blackpool
Championship
Feb 10, 2015 at 7.45pm UK
 
Middlesbrough logo

1-2

Gibson (85' og.)
FT(HT: 0-0)
Woodgate (81'), Kike (88')

Preview: Blackpool vs. Middlesbrough

Sports Mole breaks down Tuesday's Championship game at Bloomfield Road as promotion-chasing Middlesbrough travel to lowly Blackpool.

Third-placed Middlesbrough go into Tuesday night's game at rockbottom Blackpool knowing that they will finish the night in the automatic promotion places if they record victory.

With the top two of Bournemouth and Derby County just a point clear of Boro and facing off at the Goldsands Stadium, Boro could also go top if the Cherries and Rams share a draw on the South Coast.

Boro will be confident of victory given their excellent recent form - they have won seven of nine games in all competitions and recorded four straight victories in the league.

On Saturday they moved four points clear of fourth place by defeating Charlton Athletic 3-1, with Lee Tomlin netting the pick of the goals just a day after he was named January's Player of the Month.

Aitor Karanka also won the league's Manager of the Month gong on Friday as Boro completed a January awards double and followed it up with another three points.

Given Boro's recent defensive stubbornness - they have conceded just two in nine games - Karanka might not tinker with his lineup even though Daniel Ayala is available again after serving a two-game ban.

He may also give some players a rest with the FA Cup fifth-round tie away to holders Arsenal on the horizon this weekend.

Hosts Blackpool haven't left the bottom three all season and are still without an away win following a 4-0 defeat at Norwich City on Saturday.

They remain nine points adrift of safety and will be somewhat relieved that almost all of the sides above them also lost at the weekend.

Lee Clark will know that facing Boro is a daunting task, but he might be able to welcome back both goalkeeper Joe Lewis and striker Steven Davies as they go for victory number five this season.

Their four home victories to date have all been 1-0 wins against sides not in playoff contention, but they will take heart from their display in the reverse when they held Boro to a 1-1 draw at the Riverside.

Blackpool:

Form in Championship: DWLLWL
Form in all competitions: LWLLWL

Possible starting lineup: Lewis; McMahon, Clarke, O'Dea, Dunne; Perkins, O'Hara, Waddington, Orlandi; Cameron, Davies

Boro:

Form in Championship: DDWWWW
Form in all competitions: DWWWWW

Possible starting lineup: Konstantopoulos; Fredericks, Gibson, Ayala, Friend; Leadbitter, Clayton; Adomah, Tomlin, Vossen; Bamford

Sports Mole says: 0-2


ID:204432: cacheID:204432:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5147:No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka during the Capital One Cup First Round match between Oldham Athletic and Middlesbrough at Boundary Park on August 12, 2014
Read Next:
Karanka hails strikers after latest win
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
FT
Steelers
19-24
Browns
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Wycombe WanderersWycombe14102232161632
2Birmingham CityBirmingham1393124121230
3Wrexham1584322111128
4Stockport CountyStockport167632617927
5Barnsley157532419526
6Lincoln CityLincoln157532117426
7Mansfield TownMansfield137332015524
8Huddersfield TownHuddersfield147252114723
9Exeter CityExeter147251410423
10Reading147252221123
11Bolton WanderersBolton147252224-223
12Peterborough UnitedPeterborough156363127421
13Charlton AthleticCharlton145451515019
14Bristol Rovers155371621-518
15Stevenage155371116-518
16Northampton TownNorthampton154561821-317
17Rotherham UnitedRotherham154561418-417
18Blackpool154562128-717
19Wigan AthleticWigan143561212014
20Leyton Orient144281418-414
21Crawley TownCrawley163491427-1313
22Cambridge UnitedCambridge143291324-1111
23Burton Albion141581525-108
24Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury1522111327-148


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!