Preview: Blackpool vs. Huddersfield Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Blackpool will enter the contest off the back of a 3-0 defeat to Middlesbrough on Saturday, while Huddersfield drew 1-1 at home to Queens Park Rangers on the same afternoon.

Match preview

Mick McCarthy would have been aware of the size of the task that he was taking on when he was appointed Blackpool head coach on January 19, and the 63-year-old has suffered back-to-back defeats in his first two games at the helm, one of which was in the FA Cup.

Indeed, the Tangerines lost 2-1 at Southampton in the FA Cup on January 28 before suffering a 3-0 defeat at Middlesbrough in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.

Blackpool are actually winless in their last 16 matches in the Championship, dating back to a 2-1 victory over Coventry City at the end of October.

The disappointing run of form has left the Seasiders in 23rd spot in the table on 26 points, but they are only three points behind 21st-placed Cardiff City with two games in hand on the Welsh outfit.

Blackpool's home form this season is likely to be key when it comes to potentially staying in the league, but they have the second-worst record in front of their own fans, only picking up 12 points from 12 matches.

Huddersfield, meanwhile, currently sit 22nd in the table, one point above their opponents in this match, boasting record of seven wins, six draws and 15 defeats from 28 matches.

The Terriers are winless in their last five games in all competitions, but they have drawn with Hull City and QPR in two of their last three games, picking up a point against the latter on Saturday afternoon.

Mark Fotheringham's side will be encouraged by Blackpool's home problems this season, but the visitors have the worst away record in the second tier in 2022-23, picking up just nine points from 13 matches.

Huddersfield were third in the Championship last season, and they beat Luton Town in the semi-finals of the playoffs before losing 2-1 to Nottingham Forest in the final.

The Terriers suffered a 1-0 defeat to Blackpool in the Championship earlier this season, but they have won three of the last five meetings between the two sides in all competitions.

Blackpool Championship form:

D

D

L

D

L

L

Blackpool form (all competitions):

L

D

W

L

L

L

Huddersfield Town Championship form:

W

W

L

D

L

D

Huddersfield Town form (all competitions):

W

L

L

D

L

D

Team News

Shane Lavery and Curtis Nelson were introduced into the Blackpool side against Middlesbrough on Saturday, and the duo will be hoping to keep their spots for this match.

Tom Trybull and Charlie Goode made their first league starts last time out and could feature from the first whistle again here, with McCarthy likely to resist the temptation to make wholesale changes.

Blackpool remain without the services of a number of first-team players, with Marvin Ekpiteta, Liam Bridcutt, Lewis Fiorini, Keshi Anderson, Kevin Stewart and Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel all injured.

Huddersfield, meanwhile, are again expected to be missing Danny Ward, Kieran Phillips, Duane Holmes, Lee Nicholls, Faustino Anjorin, Yuta Nakayama and Ben Jackson through injury.

Tomas Vaclik will retain his spot between the sticks following his debut against QPR, while Joe Hungbo and Martyn Waghorn should again both be in the XI after their first starts on Saturday.

David Kasumu will again be hoping to keep out Matty Pearson, while Anthony Knockaert is pushing to start after featuring off the bench in the team's last game.

Blackpool possible starting lineup:

Maxwell; Lyons, Connolly, Goode, Nelson, Hamilton; Bowler, Trybull, Patino; Lavery, Yates

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:

Vaclik; Turton, Lees, Helik, Lowton; High, Hogg, Kasumu; Hungbo, Waghorn, Rudoni

We say: Blackpool 1-1 Huddersfield Town

Both managers will be wary of losing this match, which could create a cagey affair on Tuesday night. A case could be made for either to win it, but we are finding it difficult to separate them, as the worst away team in the division visits the side with the second-worst home record.

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