MX23RW : Tuesday, March 11 17:41:17| >> :600:116718:116718:
[monks data]
Blackpool
Championship
Jan 10, 2015 at 3pm UK
 
Millwall logo

1-0

Clarke (33')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Preview: Blackpool vs. Millwall

Sports Mole looks ahead to Saturday's relegation showdown between Millwall and Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.

The New Year begins with a relegation six-pointer for both Blackpool and Millwall as the struggling clubs face each other at Bloomfield Road this Saturday.

The hosts could close the gap between themselves and safety to six points with a victory, while defeat could leave them nine points adrift at the bottom.

Expectations of pulling off a great escape won't be high amongst Blackpool fans, however, following a dreadful 2014 that saw them win just six of their 49 matches in all competitions.

Whether 2015 will be any kinder to the Tangerines remains to be seen, but it certainly hasn't started smoothly, with the club's owner and chairman deciding to sue a supporter.

There appeared to be slightly positive signs on the pitch as they frustrated Aston Villa in the third round of the FA Cup, but the Premier League outfit eventually found a late breakthrough to progress.

It is likely to be another busy transfer window for Blackpool as they look to replace their departing loanees, and Grant Hall is one of those to have arrived on a temporary basis already.

He is unlikely to start this weekend, however, while the game also comes too soon for Jose Cubero despite his recent return to training.

If the Seasiders are looking for a glimmer of hope, they have only lost one of their last four home games, although they have not scored more than one in a game in front of their own fans since November 2013.

They will be glad, then, that they are coming up against a Millwall side who have only managed a goal per game in the league this season.

The Lions ended the year with three consecutive defeats to slump into the relegation zone, and their poor goal difference means that they are effectively a point behind 21st-placed Brighton & Hove Albion.

The defence was again leaky in the third round of the FA Cup as League One side Bradford City forced a replay with a topsy-turvy 3-3 thriller.

They will view this match as a good chance to return to winning ways against one of their fellow strugglers, however, and should Brighton not manage victory away to Charlton Athletic then maximum points would be enough to lift Ian Holloway's side out of the bottom three.

Holloway has also lost a few players already in January, including Scott Malone, who should be replaced in the side by Dan Harding.

Ricardo Fuller is pushing for a start following his brace last weekend, although Lee Gregory could return to the starting XI instead.

Blackpool:

Form in Championship: DWDLLD
Form in all competitions: WDLLDL

Possible starting lineup: Lewis; Dunne, Clarke, Nosworthy, Kennedy; Perkins, McMahon, O'Hara, Eagles; Davies; Delfouneso

Millwall:

Form in Championship: DLWLLL
Form in all competitions: LWLLLD

Possible starting lineup: Forde; Dunne, Nelson, Shittu, Harding; Upson, Williams, Martin, McDonald, Woolford; Gregory

Sports Mole says: 1-1


ID:197763: cacheID:197763:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5294:
Written by
Barney Corkhill
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:
Ricardo Fuller of Millwall FC and Joe Skarz of Rotherham United during the Sky Bet Championship match between Millwall and Rotherham United at The Den on August 23, 2014
Read Next:
Team News: Millwall make five changes in FA Cup
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Birmingham CityBirmingham34247356223479
2Wycombe WanderersWycombe351911561332868
3Wrexham35208750282268
4Stockport CountyStockport361711852341862
5Charlton AthleticCharlton35179946311560
6Bolton WanderersBolton35186115751660
7Huddersfield TownHuddersfield361771247331458
8Reading351510104945455
9Leyton Orient361651551371453
10Barnsley36157145051-152
11Blackpool35111595247548
12Stevenage35139133335-248
13Lincoln CityLincoln361210144845346
14Rotherham UnitedRotherham35128153941-244
15Wigan AthleticWigan351110143234-243
16Mansfield TownMansfield35118164148-741
17Northampton TownNorthampton361011153653-1741
18Exeter CityExeter34117163750-1340
19Peterborough UnitedPeterborough35109165260-839
20Bristol Rovers35116183653-1739
21Burton Albion36712173653-1733
22Crawley TownCrawley3579193865-2730
23Cambridge UnitedCambridge3578203458-2429
24Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury3677223460-2628


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!