Blackpool v Palace

Bloomfield Road, Saturday 3.00pm

Action

Team news

Eagles centre half Claude Davis is banned for the next three matches following his red card for violent conduct in the midweek loss at home to Leicester City. Davis had only returned from a two-game suspension and will now sit out a crucial period of Palace's season.

Football League Young Player of the Year Nathaniel Clyne was substituted at the break in that match with a groin strain and is doubtful of making it.

"It's pretty sore in some of his movements but he is young and he is strong so he will recover quickly I hope," said manager Paul Hart. "We don't know yet but he will probably not be ready for Saturday."

Young left-back Lee Hills, who came on at half-time, could feature after impressing against Leicester. Centre half Paddy McCarthy had a successful run-out for the reserves in midweek after recovering from a shoulder operation but is still short of fitness.

Blackpool defender Neal Eardley went down with a hamstring injury against Sheffield United in midweek and faces a spell on the sidelines.

Left-back Stephen Crainey returned from a knee injury against the Blades and is set to start again. Centre-half Ian Evatt has made a quick recovery from a knee problem and is also available for selection.

Quotes

Julian Speroni

"These next two games are tough but we will try to get every point that we can. Sometimes I think it is tougher at home than it is away because of the pressure and expectation of the fans. They want to see us winning and playing well like we were, and that can affect the players' performance.

"We go with the mentality of always trying to win the game and if we can't do that to do our best to get something from the match. I am still really confident that we can get out of it. If we were going for the play-offs and playing good football just a few weeks ago then why should we not be good enough to avoid relegation?"

Clint Hill

"I think it will go right to the wire. It is such a tight and tough league - it looks like it is going to be a fight to the death. The game at Sheffield Wednesday might come into it in a big way.

"As soon as we come off the pitch we are looking at the other results. It is automatic. You want to see who has picked up points and who has been dragged back into it - there are still five or six teams that could be in the mix."

Blackpool - league stats

Full league table

Blackpool - current form

Full form table

Last five results

Date	Type	Home Team	Score	Away Team
03/10/2009	League	Crystal Palace	4 - 1	Blackpool
31/01/2009	League	Crystal Palace	0 - 1	Blackpool
25/10/2008	League	Blackpool	2 - 2	Crystal Palace
29/03/2008	League	Crystal Palace	0 - 0	Blackpool
20/10/2007	League	Blackpool	1 - 1	Crystal Palace

All time results

Ref watch

P N Gibbs

Last meeting

Palace 4-1 Blackpool

Saturday October 03 2009

Palace: Speroni, Hill, McCarthy, Butterfield, Ertl, Clyne, Ambrose (Hills, 86), Derry, Danns, Lee (N'Diaye, 66), Scannell (Carle, 58)

Subs not used: Smith, Djilali, Cadogan, Flahavan

Goals: Lee 4, Danns 32, Ambrose 66, N'Diaye 89

Bookings: Ertl

Blackpool: Rachubka, Edwards, Baptiste, Eardley (Bouazza, 86), Crainey, Southern, Adam, Emmanuel-Thomas (Burgess, 46), Vaughan, Euell, Ormerod (Clarke, 73)

Subs not used Seip, Bangura, Martin, Gilks

Goals: Baptiste 53

Bookings: Baptiste

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