Blackpool host Stoke City this Wednesday at Bloomfield Road in an EFL Championship looking for the victory which will keep the Seasiders in the top six of the Championship standings. The hosts are proving to be worth the promotion from League One last season.
Under manager Neil Critchley, the hosts are currently occupying the last play-off space in the division after a fine run of form. Coming to this season, Neil Critchley would have set a target of around 50 points to keep the newly-promoted club in the second tier and have so far come to almost half the target.
The hosts come into this game on the back of a narrow 1-0 away victory over Sheffield United. In that game, Blackpool managed 42% possession and 5 shots at goal with 2 on target with Keshi Anderson scoring the match-winning goal in the 76th minute.
Blackpool have been on a persistent run of goal scoring form, hitting the target every time they’ve gone out to play in their last 6 games.
Stoke City, on the other hand, are spending their fourth season in England’s second-tier after their 14th place finish last season. Michael O’Neill’s men are currently in 9th position in the Championship after 15 games played and a win on Wednesday against 6th place Blackpool would see the away side overtake their opponents and potentially move to the 5th position.
Stoke City had to settle for a share of the spoils in a six-goal thriller against Cardiff City on home turf. In that game, Stoke City managed 59% possession and 11 attempts on goal with 4 of them on target with Jacob Brown and Steven Fletcher scoring for the hosts.
However, since ending West Bromwich Albion’s unbeaten league record on October 1, Stoke have collected just one point from a possible 12.
Blackpool vs Stoke City head to head
These sides have met in 6 head to head encounters since 2007 and the hosts have won only once with 2 draws and the hosts have won 3 times. Stoke haven’t won in their last 5 games.
- Stoke 5-4 Blackpool 29/08/20
- Blackpool 0-0 Stoke 30/04/11
- Stoke 0-1 Blackpool 11/12/10
- Stoke 4-3 Blackpool 22/09/09
- Stoke 1-1 Blackpool 22/03/08
Home
- Sheffield 0-1 Blackpool
- Blackpool 2-0 Preston
- Reading 2-3 Blackpool
- Nottingham 2-1 Blackpool
- Blackpool 2-1 Blackburn
Away
- Stoke 3-3 Cardiff
- Stoke 1-2 Brentford
- Millwall 2-1 Stoke
- Stoke 0-1 Bournemouth
- Sheffield 2-1 Stoke
Blackpool team news
Matty Virtue, CJ Hamilton, Reece James, Chris Maxwell, Shayne Lavery, Grant Ward and Kevin Stewart will miss out on injuries.
Stoke team news
Nick Powell, Morgan Fox and Sam Clucas are all unavailable due to injuries.
Prediction and odds
- Blackpool to win
- Goals under 2.5
