Preview: ‘Pool v Toon

Blackpool go into tomorrow’s game with Newcastle in the relegation zone for the first time this season.

Realistically, only a win will do for the Seasiders (bearing our other final few fixtures in mind), and hopefully the players will deliver on their promise to produce ‘the game of their lives’.

Death or glory. Death. Or. Glory.

Vital Quotes:

Ian Holloway is still adamant that the Seasiders can stay up:

‘We don’t need a mountain of points. There are probably five teams still in it and we are one of those five.

‘We have got to try to clamber out up to the two that are going to be lucky.

‘I think we are in a better place because we are used to looking up more than looking down. I think it will suit us.

‘It was always going to be this way, I have said it all along. We have got five games left and the chance to achieve a miracle, which is staying up.

‘I galvanised this group last year to believe enough to get out of a situation.

‘It looked like it was going wobbly but we crashed on through and did one of the most amazing things, to get promoted.

‘We then had a really good start and promised all sorts of things to everybody who wears a Tangerine shirt. Now they can see it evaporating if you look at current form.

‘But I would like to stop everyone worrying and ask them to get behind us. It has been an amazing achievement anyway.

‘Unfortunately in the last few weeks whatever formula we have tried hasn’t really worked and confidence can get affected.

‘But am I still confident in my team? Yes. Do I still see us staying up? Yes.’

Blackpool Team News:

Charlie Adam and David Vaughan are both fit to play after injury worries earlier in the week.

Meanwhile, there are rumours circulating tonight that Craig Cathcart has been dropped and that Matt Phillips will start the game.

Player to watch: David Vaughan

Under-rated but crucial, Vaughany underpins our system and we need him and Charlie alongside him to show up big time tomorrow.

Newcastle Team News:

Tim Krul deputises for the injured Steve Harper, whilst captain Kevin Nolan returns from suspension.

Player to watch: Cheick Tiote

The heartbeat of Newcastle’s midfield. Tiote will not allow either Adam or Vaughan to settle as he looks to stop our attacks, but he’s also useful in attack as well.

Match Facts & Stats

When we beat Newcastle earlier in the season, we rose to 4th in the Premier League.

‘Pool have only one won of their last thirteen matches, and have not kept a clean sheet at home all season.

Newcastle last won at Bloomfield Road in April 1971.

This is the 61st meeting between the sides; They have each won 26 matches and there have been eight draws.

The Seasiders have the worst home record in the top flight.

‘Pool have conceded 40 goals in their last 16 matches.

No side has kept a clean sheet in 16 league matches at Bloomfield Road this season, including Blackpool. The Tangerines are only the second club in top-flight history to do this in their first 16 home matches of the season and the first since Chelsea (19 matches) in 1960/61.

The Magpies have won only two of their last 13 games in league and cup.

They have scored just 12 goals away from home – the equal fewest in the league with West Brom.