Liverpool's meeting with Blackpool earlier this season did not end well for the reds.
Liverpool travel to Bloomfield Road in the rearranged game following the Boxing Day postponement due to a frozen pitch.
Ian Holloway’s men have the opportunity to leapfrog the reds, who they have a game in hand on, as the 13th placed Seasiders take on 12th placed Liverpool.
Liverpool won 2 league away games in the whole of 2010, and Hodgson’s 10 away games in charge returned just 1 victory, 2 draws and 7 defeats.
Kenny Dalglish will have his work cut out to ensure that the reds dismal away form, and still negative goal difference, can be turned around in the remainder of the season.
Blackpool beat Liverpool at Anfield earlier this season 2-1, in a game that they comprehensively outplayed the reds in.
Team News
Glen Johnson’s wife is still to give birth to their new baby. The England right back missed the weekend’s clash against Man Utd, although it turned out to be a false alarm. His involvement in tonight’s game is therefore a doubt. Joe Cole and Paul Konchesky also missed the weekend trip and face late fitness tests. Jamie Carragher remains unavailable for selection due to injury, and Steven Gerrard will be absent. The player has a 3 match ban for picking up a red card in the Manchester United defeat.
Both sides lost their last Premier League games, and their respective 3rd round FA Cup fixtures.
Blackpool played a second string XI in the 2-0 defeat to Southampton, the majority of the first teamers are expected to return for the clash against Liverpool.
Last Premier League line ups:
BLACKPOOL 1 Birmingham City 2: Kingson, Eardley, Cathcart, Evatt, Crainey, Vaughan, Campbell, Adam, Phillips (Ormerod 70), Varney (Southern 81), Taylor-Fletcher (Euell 71). Not Used: Rachubka, Baptiste, Sylvestre, Edwards.
Blackburn Rovers 3 LIVERPOOL 1: Reina, Johnson, Kyrgiakos (Agger 51), Skrtel, Konchesky, Cole, Gerrard, Lucas, Rodriguez (Kuyt 58), Torres, Ngog (Babel 78). Not Used: Gulacsi, Jovanovic, Poulsen, Kelly.
Form
Liverpool have lost 4 of the last 6 games (with 1 win) in all competitions. The reds have lost 3 of their last 5 league games. Their solitary away league victory was on Halloween.
They have the 3rd worst away record in the Premier League.
Blackpool have lost 3 of the last 6 games (with 2 wins) in all competitions. The Seasiders have lost 2 of their last 5 league games. They have won 2 out of their 7 home games, and the club have a backlog of home matches due to the winter weather. Having played almost twice the number of games away from home.
They have the 2nd worst away record in the Premier League, however still average over 1.5 goals per game at home.
History
This will be Liverpool’s first visit to Bloomfield Road for 40 years. Bill Shankly was in charge on 17th August 1970 when the reds left with a 0-0.
Liverpool’s last defeat at Bloomfield Road was in 1954.
Odds
Blackpool are 3/1 for the win. The draw is at 5/2. And Liverpool are favourites at Evens.
Fernando Torres is 3/1 for first goalscorer. Better odds can be gained with Maxi Rodriguez (10/1) and Daniel Agger (25/1).
A 1-1 draw is the most favoured scoreline at 6/1. A Liverpool 2-0 or 2-1 is at 8/1.
really hope for 3 points blackpool are well managed and very fit. so thats two strikes against us. but with king kennys appointment we are showing more motivation. hope this can rub off for a win. we are only 4 points away from regulation zone.
This is the ideal fixture for Torres to get back firing.