Preview: Blackpool vs. West Bromwich Albion - prediction, team news, lineups

West Bromwich Albion will be looking to return to winning ways in the Championship when they travel to Bloomfield Road to face Blackpool on Tuesday night.

The Baggies are currently third in the Championship table, eight points behind second-placed Bournemouth, while Blackpool occupy 10th, having picked up 26 points from their opening 18 matches of the season.

Match preview

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Blackpool have won seven, drawn five and lost six of their 18 Championship matches this season to collect 26 points, which has left them in 10th position in the table, three points behind sixth-placed Queens Park Rangers.

Neil Critchley's side are on a run of three games without a win in the second tier, with their last success coming away to Sheffield United at the end of October.

Since then, the Tangerines have lost to Stoke City and drawn with both QPR and Swansea City, with their point at Swansea on Saturday coming courtesy of an 86th-minute leveller from Keshi Anderson.

Blackpool, who were promoted back to the Championship via the League One playoffs last term, have shown that they are more than capable of competing at this level of football, but the league table is so congested at the moment that a few poor results in a row would see them slide down the division.

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West Brom, meanwhile, are currently third in the table, winning nine, drawing five and losing four of their 18 matches to collect 32 points.

The Baggies are eight points behind second-placed Bournemouth and nine behind leaders Fulham, while there are only three points between Valerien Ismael's side and sixth-placed QPR.

West Brom have only actually won one of their last four in the second tier, which came at home to Hull City on November 6; the Baggies then drew at home to Middlesbrough before suffering a 1-0 loss to Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

A sixth-minute strike from Danel Sinani proved enough for Huddersfield to triumph in West Yorkshire, and the Baggies will surely be fired-up to return to winning ways against Blackpool on Tuesday.

Ismael's team, who will be eyeing a return to the Premier League, have impressed defensively this season, conceding just 16 times in their 18 matches, but they have only scored 27 goals down the other end, which is 21 fewer than leaders Fulham.

Team News

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Blackpool have a lengthy injury list at the moment, with Luke Garbutt, Richard Keogh, Kevin Stewart, Grant Ward, Chris Maxwell, CJ Hamilton and Matty Virtue unavailable for selection.

Head coach Critchley will have been pleased with what he saw from his side against Swansea, so it would not be a surprise if the same starting XI took to the field here.

Jerry Yates will again lead the line, but Demetri Mitchell faces competition for a spot on the right of a midfield four from Josh Bowler.

As for West Brom, Jake Livermore is suspended following his red card against Huddersfield on Saturday, which could open the door for Jayson Molumby to feature in midfield.

Jordan Hugill is also pushing for a spot in the final third of the field, but Ismael could keep faith with Grady Diangana, Matt Phillips and Karlan Grant as a front three.

Kean Bryan, Rayhaan Tulloch and Dara O'Shea, meanwhile, remain on the treatment table for the Baggies.

Blackpool possible starting lineup:
Grimshaw; Lawrence-Gabriel, Sterling, Ekpiteta, Husband, James; Mitchell, Connolly, Wintle, Anderson; Yates

West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:
Johnstone; Kipre, Bartley, Clarke; Gardner-Hickman, Mowatt, Molumby, Townsend; Diangana, Phillips, Grant

We say: Blackpool 1-1 West Bromwich Albion

West Brom will be determined to return to winning ways on Tuesday, but Blackpool have only been beaten in six of their 18 league matches this term and are a team to be taken seriously at this level of football. The visitors could ultimately be left frustrated, as we are backing a low-scoring draw here.

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