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

Bournemouth will be aiming to preserve their unbeaten start to the season in the Championship when they host winless Blackpool on Saturday.

After defeat in the playoffs last season, the Cherries have their eyes set on promotion this time around, while the newly-promoted Tangerines will just be keen to finish above the bottom three.

Match preview

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Bournemouth had to be "patient", in Scott Parker's words, on Wednesday night as they won 2-0 away at Birmingham City, but had to wait until the final 13 minutes for the goals to come courtesy of Dominic Solanke and Jaidon Anthony.

The result lifted them onto seven points and fifth in the table at this early stage, following an opening day draw against West Bromwich Albion and a 2-1 win against Nottingham Forest.

There are certainly early signs of promise on the south coast, and while Arnaut Danjuma's departure to Villarreal has now been confirmed, new boss Parker still has plenty of talent to play with in his squad and could yet recruit fresh faces before the end of the transfer window.

The Cherries are yet to spend any money this summer, instead bringing in free agents Emiliano Marcondes and Orjan Nyland, and signing Leif Davis on loan from Leeds United.

After hosting Blackpool, Parker's men travel to Premier League outfit Norwich City in the EFL Cup on Tuesday, before facing another newly-promoted Championship side, Hull City, next weekend.

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Blackpool felt hard done by on Tuesday night as they were beaten 1-0 at home by Coventry City, with Neil Critchley claiming Viktor Gyokeres's first half stoppage time goal was both offside and after the allotted added period.

The Tangerines boss also admitted that there is a big difference in "the quality of the play, the physicality and the speed" between League One and the Championship, as his players have struggled to adjust to the step up so far.

After rescuing a point away at Bristol City on the opening day, two defeats and no goals have followed for last season's third tier playoff winners.

However, they have lost just one of their last 11 away matches and had the second-best defence on the road in League One in 2020-21.

This will be the first meeting between the two seaside towns since the 2014-15 season, when Bournemouth won the Championship and Blackpool finished bottom. The Cherries won both games convincingly - 6-1 at Bloomfield Road and 4-0 at the Vitality Stadium.

Team News

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Bournemouth will welcome back David Brooks after the Welsh international was suspended for the midweek trip to Birmingham City.

Ben Pearson and Junior Stanislas made their returns from injury at St Andrew's and are likely to get more gametime on Saturday as they get back up to full speed.

Jack Stacey (quad), Lewis Cook (knee) and Steve Cook (knee) are all still sidelined, while Jefferson Lerma remains suspended, so the Cherries should continue to complete their substitutes' bench with academy players.

Blackpool have been handed a boost with the news that Daniel Gretarsson and Kevin Stewart could be involved in the squad for the first time this season after recovering from injury.

Having dropped to the bench on Tuesday night against Coventry, last season's Wembley hero Kenny Dougall could be recalled to the starting lineup in midfield.

Matty Virtue (ACL), Demetri Mitchell (knee) and Gary Madine (groin) all remain out.

Bournemouth possible starting lineup:
Travers; Mepham, Rossi, Kelly, Zemura; Billing, Kilkenny, Marcondes; Brooks, Solanke, Anthony

Blackpool possible starting lineup:
Maxwell; Connolly, Keogh, Husband, Garbutt; Bowler, Dougall, Ward, Anderson; Yates, Lavery

We say: Bournemouth 3-0 Blackpool

Blackpool will be desperate to get their first three points in the Championship as soon as possible, so a trip to Bournemouth certainly would not have been the game they would have picked this weekend. The Cherries are likely to have far too much for their visitors and should run out comfortable winners.