Preview: ‘Pool v ‘Pool

This match was initially scheduled for Boxing Day, but following postponement due to a frozen pitch it finally gets played tonight.

And it’s a massive game, make no bones about it.

After the ecstasy of the wins over Stoke and Sunderland, ‘Pool have had a slight wobble and have been drawn right back into the relegation scrap below them. Yes, we have games in hand but look at who they’re against – you’d take points on the board any day of the week ahead of games in hand.

We’ve been far from our best at home this season whilst Liverpool have been god awful away, but King Kenny’s back now so they present a different type of challenge than they would have under done Woy.

That said, the visitors are without the suspended Steven Gerrard tonight and may well be carrying some tired legs after playing against Man Utd for around an hour with ten men at the weekend.

On the other hand, most of ‘Pool’s starting XI will be completely fresh having been rested against Southampton at the weekend.

We beat them convincingly at Anfield, but more importantly, can we beat them tonight?

To do the double over Liverpool tonight may just give us the confidence to haul ourselves over the finish line sooner rather than later. COYP!

Vital Quotes:

Despite his great respect for Kenny Dalglish and wishing the caretaker manager well (barring tonight!), ‘Pool manager Ian Holloway has also referred to him as ‘a skeleton in a closet’:

‘The whole thing about Liverpool was that Kenny was given the job of finding someone, then said he wanted it himself.

‘I’m not sure it was a good job for anyone else to take after that. Maybe Jose Mourinho could have dealt with it, but I’m not sure about anyone else. It’s really difficult when there was no stability first of all.

‘Has Kenny ever really left? If there was ever a skeleton in the closet, it’s Kenny.’

Holloway also revealed how he’ll celebrate if Blackpool complete the double over the Reds:

‘If we can take six points off Liverpool, how chuffed am I going to be?

‘I’ll be dancing round Sainsbury’s. I’ll swing the trolley round, saying, ‘How dare people say all that about us at the start of the year’.’

Blackpool Team News:

Elliot Grandin is fit again and expected to make the bench, but Ollie is expected to hold back Marlon Harewood once again.

David Carney is away at the Asia Cup, whilst Chris Basham, Billy Clarke, Malaury Martin and Matt Gilks all remain long term absentees.

Player to watch: Charlie Adam

There’s been a lot of speculation about Charlie’s future this week and for me, the best way to respond would be to give a sensational performance infront of the Bloomfield Road faithful.

With Gerrard missing, all eyes will be on Charlie in midfield. Expect him to revel in it.

Liverpool Team News:

Steven Gerrard is suspended, whilst Glen Johnson may also miss out unless his wife has given birth in time.

Joe Cole and Paul Konchesky face late fitness tests with a bad ankle and dead leg respectively.

Jamie Carragher is a long term absentee.

Player to watch: Fernando Torres

With Gerrard suspended, the pressure is piled on Torres even more to perform.

He’s not been himself for ages now, but as we saw against Chelsea, he could spring into life at any time.

Match Facts & Stats

Last time King Kenny was in charge of Liverpool, Blackpool were in the Fourth Division. A win tonight would see the Seasiders go above Liverpool in the table.

The Seasiders are unbeaten in four against Liverpool, winning two.

However, Liverpool are unbeaten in six at Bloomfield Road, winning five.

Blackpool have the worst home record in the league this season, but then again have played fewer games at home than anyone else.

Since November 27th, only DJ Campbell has scored for the Seasiders in the league.

The Seasiders are unbeaten when scoring first this season; winning seven and drawing two.

Blackpool have scored and conceded in each of their seven league matches at Bloomfield Road this season. If they score and concede in this match, they will become the first team in Premier League history to do so in their first eight home matches of the season, and the first to achieve this in the top flight in 21 years since Southampton (eight matches) in 1989/90.

Liverpool have lost three out of their last four in the league and lost all of their last four away games, losing seven of their ten away games in total.

Next Fixtures:

West Brom v Blackpool
Premier League
Saturday 15th January
15.00