Match Preview: Blackpool v Sunderland - all you need to know ahead of kick-off!

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Sunday 1st January 2023

(23rd) Blackpool v Sunderland (4th)

Championship

Bloomfield Road

Kick-Off: 15:00

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Tickets & Match Coverage

Tickets: Tickets are sold out.

TV/Stream: Full live match coverage is available via www.safc.com.

Radio: Full live match commentary available via BBC Radio Newcastle (not online)

Don’t forget to follow the blow-by-blow account of the game on the Roker Report Twitter feed (@RokerReport) and check out the player ratings after the full-time whistle at www.RokerReport.com!

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The build-up...

For the second game in a row we take on the side occupying second from bottom of the table and Tony Mowbray has selection headaches that most managers would love to have.

Performances at Wigan put in by players who have spent most of the season on the fringes means it’s anyone’s guess who Mowbray goes with today at Blackpool, although it’s probably more clear up top after Ellis Simms returned to Everton.

We’ve got a pretty good record at Blackpool, losing only once in the six stretching back to 1978. Our last fixture there was a 3-2 League Cup second round win in August 2021 and our last league fixture ended in a 1-1 draw.

Following our victory at Wigan we begin 2023 unbeaten in five on the road as we also begin the new year with a place in the top six. A win today could see us go third if Blackburn lose in the early kick-off at home to Cardiff City.

Photo by Richard Sellers/PA Images via Getty Images

After finishing 16th last season following promotion from League One and this season looks like it could be another one of struggle. Currently sitting second bottom of the table, only Wigan boast a worse home record in the division.

Michael Appleton’s side have lost eight of the 13 at Bloomfield Road so far this season and we have to look back to 22nd October since they beat Preston 4-2 for their last win on home soil.

In midweek they were unlucky to end up as the losing side in a 2-1 home defeat to Sheffield United and will be looking to start 2023 on a better footing.

Photo by Dave Howarth - CameraSport via Getty Images

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The betting...

The bookies have the Lads at fairly short 7/5 for the away win tonight, with Blackpool priced at 15/5 to pick up all three points and the draw is 9/4.

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Head to head... at Blackpool

(All competitions)

• Sunderland wins: 10
• Draws: 9
• Blackpool wins: 12
• Sunderland goals: 40
• Blackpool goals: 53

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Last time we met in the league... at Bloomfield Road

Saturday 17th April 2021

Sky Bet League One

Blackpool 1-0 Sunderland

[Garbutt 58’]

Sunderland: Burge, Power, Wright, O’Nien, McFadzean (Hume), Jones (Diamond), Leadbitter, Scowen (Gooch), McGeady, O’Brien (Stewart), Wyke Substitutes not used: H

Blackpool: Maxwell, Turton, Garbutt, Dougall, Ballard, Leo Gretarsson (Thorniley), Mitchell (Lawrence-Gabriel), Ward, Yates, Simms (Robson), Kaikai (Husband) Substitutes not used: Moore, Ekpiteta, Holmes

Photo by Dave Howarth - CameraSport via Getty Images

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Played for both...

Paul Stewart

Stewart started out at Blackpool in the early 80’s and went on to make over 200 appearances before Manchester City came calling in 1987, where his form at City led to an even bigger move to Tottenham Hotspur only a year later.

After four successful years at Spurs, that included being capped twice for England, Stewart moved to Liverpool in 1992, a move that didn’t quite work out but after a few loan moves, Peter Reid eventually brought him to Roker Park in 1995.

Getty Images

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