MX23RW : Thursday, November 21 12:13:06| >> :60:2761:2761:
[monks data]
Blackpool
Championship | Gameweek 7
Aug 31, 2022 at 8pm UK
Bloomfield Road
Blackburn logo

Blackpool
0 - 1
Blackburn


Thompson (63'), Ekpiteta (84')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Brereton Diaz (16')
Brereton Diaz (24'), Travis (70'), Vale (73')

Preview: Blackpool vs. Blackburn Rovers - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Wednesday's Championship clash between Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

In the seventh round of fixtures of the new Championship season, Blackburn Rovers will make the short trip to Bloomfield Road to take on Blackpool on Wednesday.

The Lancashire sides are separated by just one point in the second-tier table, with the visitors having lost their last three league outings after making a perfect start to the term.


Match preview

Blackpool boss Michael Appleton on August 16, 2022© Reuters

Following promotion-winning manager Neil Critchley's departure over the summer, Blackpool went into the new campaign with Michael Appleton at the helm, and they made a winning start against Reading before suffering defeats to Stoke City and Swansea City and dropping out of the EFL Cup against Barrow.

The Tangerines then travelled to Queens Park Rangers in their bid to return to winning ways and were successful, eventually leaving with a 1-0 victory as Josh Bowler's goal on the stroke of half time made the difference.

With six points from four games, Appleton's men then faced the tough test of a trip to Burnley, and, after trailing 3-1 until the 70th minute, they were eventually able to salvage a share of the spoils as Shayne Lavery and Jerry Yates hit goals in a three-minute span.

They most recently took on Bristol City on home turf and played out another dramatic draw with the same scoreline, having again snatched a point late on as Theo Corbeanu hit a 90th-minute leveller after Bowler and Yates had got on the scoresheet in a back-and-forth encounter at Bloomfield Road.

Now sitting on a pleasing tally of eight points from six outings, the Tangerines will aim to continue their positive start to life under Appleton and leafrog their Lancashire rivals with a home win, but they square off against a side vying to bounce back from a tough run.

Blackburn Rovers manager Jon Dahl Tomasson on August 27, 2022© Reuters

Blackburn Rovers also headed into the 2022-23 season with a fresh start, as Jon Dahl Tomasson had taken over from long-standing manager Tony Mowbray, and they enjoyed an impressive start, beginning with 1-0 and 3-0 wins over Queens Park Rangers and Swansea City respectively, before thrashing Hartlepool United 4-0 in an EFL Cup first-round tie.

A 2-1 win over West Bromwich Albion, courtesy of goals from Ben Brereton Diaz and Sam Gallagher, then took their tally to nine points from three games, but the Rovers were unable to extend their perfect league record any further, losing 3-0 away at Reading in the following encounter.

Tomasson's men would then suffer a defeat by the same scoreline away at Sheffield United, as Ollie Norwood opened the scoring and Iliman Ndiaye hit a second-half brace, before they were able to scrape a 2-1 victory away at Bradford City in the EFL Cup second round with Bradley Dack and Dilan Markanday getting on the scoresheet.

Hoping to build on that and make a return to winning ways in the Championship, Blackburn hosted Stoke City on Saturday, but they were unable to come away with a result as Lewis Baker's 27th-minute goal made the difference in a 1-0 away victory.

Having now quickly dropped away from the top of the table as a result of their three straight defeats, Blackburn will be desperately looking to bounce back to form with an away win on Wednesday.

Blackpool Championship form:
  • W
  • L
  • L
  • W
  • D
  • D

Blackpool form (all competitions):
  • L
  • L
  • L
  • W
  • D
  • D

Blackburn Rovers Championship form:
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • L
  • L
  • L

Blackburn Rovers form (all competitions):
  • W
  • W
  • L
  • L
  • W
  • L


Team News

Ben Brereton Diaz celebrates scoring for Blackburn Rovers on August 14, 2022© Reuters

Blackpool have a long list of selection issues to deal with, as Keshi Anderson, Luke Garbutt, Jake Beesley, Charlie Patino and Lewis Fiorini are all sidelined by injuries, while defender Rhys Williams is a doubt after coming off against Bristol City and midfielder Sonny Carey is suspended.

In the likely absence of Williams, Jordan Thorniley could come into the back four alongside Marvin Ekpiteta, while Callum Connolly may have to deputise in midfield alongside Kenneth Dougall.

Theo Corbeanu will be hoping to earn a start after his equaliser off the bench last time out, but he faces stiff competition, with Josh Bowler and Jerry Yates also adding to their tally in that game while Gary Madine will continue to lead the line.

Blackburn also have several injuries to plan around, as defenders Scott Wharton and Callum Brittain are ruled out alongside midfielder Sammie Szmodics.

Given those absences, Joe Rankin-Costello should again operate on the right-hand side of a back four with Ashley Phillips set to join Daniel Ayala in the middle of the defence, while Liverpool loanee Tyler Morton will hope to keep his place in the engine room after coming in alongside John Buckley and Lewis Travis last time out.

Competition for attacking places is particularly rife, with Ben Brereton Diaz bound to feature, while Bradley Dack earned a first league start of the season against Stoke with Sam Gallagher, Tyrhys Dolan, Ryan Hedges and Jack Vale also vying for starting spots.

Blackpool possible starting lineup:
Grimshaw; Lawrence-Gabriel, Ekpiteta, Thorniley, Thompson; Connolly, Dougall; Corbeanu, Bowler; Yates, Madine

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:
Kaminski; Rankin-Costello, Ayala, Phillips, Pickering; Buckley, Travis, Morton; Brereton Diaz, Gallagher, Dack


SM words green background

We say: Blackpool 2-1 Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn's form has taken a sharp dip in recent weeks, and, while their hosts are yet to establish any consistency in the Championship thus far, we fancy Appleton's men to triumph in front of a Bloomfield Road crowd.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 2.5:data


ID:493338:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect13497:

Previews by email

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


Game History

How you voted: Blackpool vs Blackburn

Blackpool
65.7%
Draw
13.4%
Blackburn Rovers
20.9%
67
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Watford manager Rob Edwards on August 20, 2022
Read Next:
Saturday's Championship predictions including Watford vs. Queens Park Rangers
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
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!