Preview: Cardiff City vs Blackpool – prediction, team news, lineups

On a mission to shut the hole between the league leaders Lincoln City, Cardiff City play host to relegation-threatened Blackpool on Saturday afternoon. 

The Welsh hosts have struggled in latest weeks, shedding three of their final six video games, together with a 2-0 house defeat to Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday evening, whereas the Seasiders earned a vital 3-2 win over backside-positioned Port Vale to maintain their survival hopes alive.

Match preview

Spending nearly all of the season on the high of the League One table, Brian Barry-Murphy’s Cardiff City have seen the summit slip away in latest weeks following defeats to Plymouth Argyle, Lincoln City, and Wycombe Wanderers.

Conceding two late objectives in South Wales on Tuesday has widened the hole to 5 factors between themselves and the league leaders.

With that mentioned, the Bluebirds nonetheless have a ten-level cushion over third-place Bolton Wanderers and can know one thing must go monumentally unsuitable to ensure that them to not finish the season within the automated promotion locations. 

The Welsh facet shall be assured they’ll recover from the road with eight video games to go, 4 of which they play at house. 

Cardiff City have received 14 of their 19 house matches, the third finest file within the division behind Lincoln City and Bradford City. 

Should they make it 15 from 20, they may enter subsequent weekend 13 factors away from Bolton Wanderers and two behind the league leaders. 

© Imago / NurPhoto

Ian Evatt‘s Blackpool, in the meantime, journey south in determined want of constructing some momentum earlier than the tip of the season if they’re to keep away from the drop into League Two. 

The Seasiders are presently occupying the very best relegation spot after incomes 41 factors from their 38 league outings. 

However, their final recreation will give Blackpool followers extra optimism that they’ll flip their season round earlier than it is too late after beating Port Vale 3-2. 

The Seasiders recovered from a shedding place on two events to grab a late win that additionally put an finish to a 5 recreation run with out victory. 

Evatt’s facet will know their type on the highway might want to enhance with the membership’s away file rating because the second-worst within the division and solely incomes 29.3% of their factors away from house.  

Despite their troubles, an enormous win within the Welsh capital may raise the Seasiders out of the underside 4 with simply seven video games to go. 

Cardiff City League One type:

L W L D W L 

Blackpool League One type:

D L D L L W

Team News

© Imago

Barry-Murphy shall be pressured into adjustments after coming away from their final recreation with a participant despatched off. 

Gabriel Osho was proven a pink card simply earlier than half-time and can miss this one via suspension. 

Harry Tyrer, Isaak Davies and Yousef Salech will stay on the sidelines via damage. 

As for the visiting facet, they’ve the luxurious of naming the identical XI as soon as once more after coming away from their final conflict with no further damage or suspension issues. 

Fraser Horsfall missed the final recreation after receiving Blackpool’s third pink card of the calendar 12 months within the recreation earlier than, he has now served his suspension and will come straight again into the beginning XI.

The Seasiders will, nonetheless, stay with out James Tilley, Kamarl Grant, Andy Lyons, Ryan Finnigan, Albie Morgan and Michael Obafemi as a consequence of numerous accidents.

Evatt is more likely to follow high scorer Ashley Fletcher, who will lead the road alongside Niall Ennis.  

Cardiff City attainable beginning lineup:

Trott; Ng, Lawlor, Chambers, Baganl; Robertson, Wintle; Tanner, R. Colwill, Ashford; Kellyman

Blackpool attainable beginning lineup:

Peacock-Farrell; Walters, Ihiekwe, Casey, Coulson; Honeyman, Brown; Bowler, Randall; Fletcher, Ennis

We say: Cardiff City 2-0 Blackpool

Both these sides come into Saturday’s contest at contrasting ends of the desk and we anticipate that to point out. 

We see second-place Cardiff City strolling to victory with ease and returning to profitable methods on the earliest alternative. 

For information evaluation of the more than likely outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click here.