On Saturday afternoon, Blackpool will host Reading at Bloomfield Road looking to make the perfect start in their second season in the Championship with kickoff at 5 pm.
Blackpool finished 16th in the Championship last season under Neil Critchley, who has since left to become Steven Gerrard’s assistant at Aston Villa.
Now Michael Appleton is at the helm with three smart additions to his squad: Dominic Thompson, Rhys Williams and Lewis Fiorini. Theo Corbeanu is on the brink of joining them from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
While some fans are disappointed by the untimely departure of Critchley—who appeared to be building something special with the Tangerines—there are fresh reasons for optimism this time around.
Paul Ince was appointed Reading manager in August after impressing during a three-month spell as caretaker boss at the club. He was given a two-year contract, which will take him through to the end of the 2020/21 season.
Ince has brought some exciting new signings to Madejski Stadium including ex-Reading striker Shane Long and Tyrese Fornah from Nottingham Forest, who should provide good competition for places. The Royals played four pre-season games winning one and losing three but they did manage to hold West Ham United to a draw at the start of last month.
Blackpool vs Reading Head to Head
Both sides have 14 games against each other with hosts taking five wins while visitors with six wins. Here is a look at their previous encounters:
Home
- Blackpool 2-4 Everton
- Salford City 0-1 Blackpool
- Blackpool 1-2 Rangers
- Leeds United 4-0 Blackpool
Away
- Reading 1-2 Brighton
- AFC Wimbledon 0-2 Reading
- Reading 1-1 West Ham
- Reading 0-2 Benfica
Blackpool Team News
Thompson, Corbeanu and Williams are likely to start on the substitutes’ bench, while Fiorini could feature in a team similar to the one that played at Everton. Although a strong side was selected for a friendly with AFC Fylde earlier this week, the purpose was to hand some much-needed minutes to squad members and any players returning from injury.
Reading Team News
Forward Lucas Joao is a major doubt for Reading after sustaining a knee injury during the team’s defeat to Brighton last weekend. No other substitutes entered the fray until the 77th minute, so there is every indication that manager Jaap Stam will select the same starting lineup for this match.
Prediction and Odds
Both teams are still adding to their squads, so it’s difficult to say how the match will go. However, both sides look evenly matched and we think it will be a draw.
- Draw
- Double Chance
- Goals 1H: 0-0
