Preview: Blackpool vs. Bournemouth - prediction, team news, lineups

Blackpool and Bournemouth meet at Bloomfield Road on Saturday afternoon in the clash of the Championship's two seaside towns.

The Tangerines are currently 14th in the table but looking up, while the Cherries sit in second place – six points behind leaders Fulham.

Match preview

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Blackpool's 1-1 draw away at Coventry extended their unbeaten run to five games (W3 D2) – their longest streak without defeat so far this season.

Having been promoted from League One last year, the Tangerines are now just five points off the Championship playoffs.

Neil Critchley's side have won their last three league matches at Bloomfield Road – the club have not won four in a row on home turf since September 2017.

Blackpool scored twice in the space of four minutes as they came from two goals down to draw 2-2 in this season's reverse fixture at the Vitality Stadium in August.

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Bournemouth bounced back from their FA Cup exit at the hands of Boreham Wood last weekend with a 3-1 home win over Birmingham City on Wednesday night.

The Cherries' Championship form has been rather erratic of late, with two back-to-back losses followed by two back-to-back wins, before two more back-to-back losses and now two back-to-back wins again.

Although the gap to high-scoring Fulham has increased, Scott Parker's side are currently two points clear of third-placed Blackburn Rovers, with two games in hand.

No Championship side have picked up more points away from home this season than Bournemouth (28), while the Cherries also have the division's best defence, having conceded only 25 goals in 29 games.

Team News

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Critchley hopes to have Richard Keogh available for Saturday's game after the centre-back was forced off with a calf injury in the second half against Coventry in midweek.

CJ Hamilton and Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel sat out the trip to the CBS Arena but will be in contention to be recalled.

Ethan Robson started in midweek after returning from his loan spell at MK Dons, but could be replaced by Callum Connolly.

Jefferson Lerma was sent off in Bournemouth's midweek win over Birmingham so will be suspended for this game, but Scott Parker hinted after the match that he was considering appealing the red card.

Ryan Christie suffered a quad issue in the second half of that match and had to be substituted, so will be assessed ahead of the weekend.

If the Scot is unavailable, it could open the door for deadline day signing Siriki Dembele to make his first start.

Blackpool possible starting lineup:
Grimshaw; Gabriel, Ekpiteta, Keogh, Sterling; Hamilton, Dougall, Connolly, Bowler; Madine, Lavery

Bournemouth possible starting lineup:
Travers; Stacey, Phillips, Kelly, Zemura; Billing, Cook, Cantwell; Dembele, Solanke, Anthony

We say: Blackpool 1-2 Bournemouth

It would be naive to say that Bournemouth have rediscovered their mojo after their midweek win because we have been here before. The Cherries will undoubtedly be favourites as they head to Bloomfield Road, but Blackpool have shown they are no pushovers. We think that it will be a tight game where the visitors just nick victory.

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