Barnsley
- Barnsley have lost four and drawn one of their last five games in all competitions, including a 4-1 FA Cup defeat at Liverpool.
- Hourihane has been putting out some of his younger talent in an aggressive 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 system in which Barnsley press high and look to attack quickly in transition.
- They have conceded 13 goals in their last five without keeping a single clean sheet in that time.
- Davis Keillor-Dunn has been the Tykes’ top scorer and an attacking lynchpin this season, but Reyes Cleary has added some pace and a few goals to the team too, especially when the ball is won back in transition and in wide areas.
Blackpool
- Blackpool are in mixed form but have won three of their last five, including a 5-1 win away at Port Vale and a 4-0 home victory over Rotherham United.
- The Tangerines were eliminated by Ipswich in the FA Cup this month after suffering a League One defeat to Bradford City.
- Evatt’s team are possession-based and patient in their build-up phase, favouring a back three and wing-backs so that they can overload opponents when they get forward.
- Blackpool have played some excellent football in spells this season and Ashley Fletcher’s service from wide areas has given the striker the chance to top the Tangerines’ scoring charts with a double figure tally.
Head-to-Head
- Barnsley and Blackpool have met 39 times in all competitions, with the Tykes boasting a slight edge in results, but the Tangerines have won three of the last four League One meetings including a 3-0 victory at Oakwell last season.
- This fixture has produced drama and close scorelines in the last few seasons, so Barnsley fans should brace themselves for another close game in South Yorkshire this Saturday.
Key Players
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Barnsley:
- Marc Roberts’ experience as a defensive organiser is key to this Barnsley team, but their defensive record has been poor for a couple of months and the back four are struggling to keep the opposition at bay.
- Davis Keillor-Dunn has been the Tykes’ top scorer and an attacking lynchpin this season, but Reyes Cleary has added some pace and a few goals to the team too, especially when the ball is won back in transition and in wide areas.
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Blackpool:
- Blackpool have played some excellent football in spells this season and Ashley Fletcher’s service from wide areas has given the striker the chance to top the Tangerines’ scoring charts with a double figure tally.
- Tom Bloxham has chipped in with some vital goals of his own and his running off the ball creates space for Fletcher to exploit while his running causes problems for opposition defenses.
Betting Insights
- Blackpool’s defense, marshalled by the dependable goalkeeper, kept multiple clean sheets in December, but they will be tested by Barnsley’s pressing game on Saturday.
- Barnsley’s home advantage and slight edge in the odds mean our selection has to be for a win or draw, but both teams have been leaking goals recently, so we will take BTTS as the best play at 1.57.
Prediction
- A Barnsley win would be enough to put them in a position to launch a late play-off push and it would relieve some pressure on Hourihane, while Blackpool need the points to pull themselves out of the relegation battle.
- Prediction: Barnsley to win, with Both Teams to Score as a strong betting angle at 1.57.
