Blackpool will be bidding to return to winning ways in League One when they travel to Sixfields Stadium on Tuesday evening to tackle Northampton Town.
The visitors are currently eighth in the table, four points outside the playoff positions, while Northampton sit 11th, seven points behind their opponents in this contest.
Match preview
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Northampton were promoted from League Two last season, and the team have performed above expectations during the 2023-24 campaign, boasting a record of 14 wins, eight draws and 15 losses from 37 matches to collect 50 points, which has left them in 11th spot in the table.
Jon Brady's side are 16 points ahead of the relegation zone, while they are only 11 points off the playoff positions, which is an indication of their performance level this season.
The Cobblers will enter this match off the back of a 1-1 draw with Cambridge United, which stretched the team's winless run in all competitions to three games, although they have only lost once during that period.
Northampton have been relatively strong at home this season, picking up 29 points from their 18 matches, recording eight victories in the process.
The Cobblers will be bidding to make it a league double over Blackpool during the 2023-24 campaign, having recorded a 2-1 victory when the two teams locked horns in the reverse game at the end of November.
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Blackpool, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a goalless draw with Portsmouth, which followed a 2-0 success over Shrewsbury Town in their last away game at the start of the month.
The Seasiders were relegated from the Championship last season, so they are looking to bounce back to the second tier at the first time of asking, and the team are in the playoff picture at this stage.
Neil Critchley's side are eighth in the table, four points behind sixth-placed Stevenage, and they are in strong form, winning three of their last five matches in the third tier of English football.
Blackpool have struggled for consistency away from home this season, only picking up 19 points from 18 matches, suffering nine defeats in the process.
The Seasiders, who have the third-best home record in League One this term, have been victorious in three of their last four games with Northampton at this level, including a 3-0 success in the corresponding fixture during the 2020-21 campaign.
Team News
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Northampton's leading goalscorer this season is Sam Hoskins, with the 31-year-old scoring 14 times in League One during the 2023-24 campaign, and he will again feature in the final third of the field.
Tyreece Simpson led the line against Cambridge and that is again expected to be the case here, although Louis Appere is also battling to feature in the final third of the field.
Northampton did not suffer any fresh fitness concerns in their clash with Cambridge, so it could be a case of same again, with Tony Springett set to start on the bench.
As for Blackpool, head coach Critchley will have to make at least two changes to the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Portsmouth last time out.
James Husband was forced off in the 19th minute of the goalless draw on Saturday, and he is now expected to be replaced by Oliver Casey for the clash with Northampton.
Blackpool will also be without the services of their leading goalscorer Jordan Rhodes, who was sent off against Portsmouth, which will open the door for Kyle Joseph to feature in the final third of the field.
Northampton Town possible starting lineup:
Moulden; Lintott, Moore, Guthrie, Brough; Bowie, Leonard, Sowerby, Fox, Hoskins; Simpson
Blackpool possible starting lineup:
Grimshaw; Pennington, Ekpiteta, Casey; Lawrence-Gabriel, Dembele, Norburn, Byers, Coulson; Beesley, Joseph
We say: Northampton Town 1-1 Blackpool
Blackpool need to win to stay in touch with the playoffs, but they have only managed to triumph in five of their 18 away league fixtures this term, while Northampton have lost just five times at home. We are expecting a tight match on Tuesday evening and are finding it difficult to separate them.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
