Premiership: Blackpool V Manchester United – Tuesday, 25th January (LIVE on ESPN)

Blackpool V Manchester United

Tuesday, 25th January – 19:30 (GMT)
Venue: Bloomfield Road
TV Coverage: ESPN

No adverse weather will halt Blackpool in their tracks from finally having the honour of hosting 11-time Premier League champions Manchester United at Bloomfield Road on Tuesday night – A game all you ESPN subscribers will have the pleasure of watching from 7:30PM.

This fixture was originally pencilled in for a December date, the same month the Tangerines were scheduled to play host to Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, however the bitterly cold conditions over the festive period meant the Seasiders went well over a month without hosting any Premiership football because of a lack of under-soil heating at their ground, something the club have confirmed on numerous occasions will be rectified in the summer regardless of whether they stay in this division or not.

Games with Liverpool and Tottenham were also postponed in December meaning Blackpool now have more top-flight fixtures to contend with than any other side in the division. Ian Holloway’s squad, one which he has openly admitted to being wafer thin and lacking in depth, will now be put through its paces in the second half of the season, though not as much as say their Tuesday night rivals.

United, along with Tottenham, who also had a date with Blackpool cancelled in December, both have FA Cup and UEFA Champions League commitments to contend with in the second half of the season and to say their schedule from here on out is hectic and arduous would be a massive understatement. However, Sir Alex is fortunate enough to boast a wealth of armoury and options, far more than his opposite number, and the vastly experienced manager could make several changes to his starting eleven for Tuesday’s relatively brisk trip to the Seaside.

Rio Ferdinand and Michael Carrick are both unlikely to feature, the former complaining of a groin injury while the latter injured his ankle during United’s 5-0 romp of Birmingham City at the weekend. Dimitar Berbatov scored his third hat-trick of the season on Saturday, though the Bulgarian may start Tuesday’s game on the bench as Sir Alex looks to wrap his most prolific asset up in cotton wool ahead of Saturday’s visit of Aston Villa, with Mexican Javier Hernandez set to deputise, the United hot prospect having taken English football in his stride so far and will break into double figures for the season should he locate the back of a Blackpool net which hasn’t kept a clean sheet at home all season on Tuesday.

Antonio Valencia is still no nearer to a return to first-team action following his horrific leg-break earlier in the campaign during a Champions League affair, while South Korean, Ji-Sung Park, is still away in Qatar, Asia, attempting to clinch the 2010 AFC Asian Cup.

Ian Holloway, meanwhile, is still without a host of influential figures and has been handed fresh blows with news that goalkeeper Richard Kingson and full-back Stephen Crainey are both doubts following knocks at the weekend during their 2-1 home defeat by Sunderland. The Tangerines are already with their regular shot-stopper Matt Gilks and midfielder Chris Basham.

However, an even more telling blow is news that influential midfielder Charlie Adam has handed in a transfer request following Liverpool’s pursuit of the Blackpool schemer. Adam has been inspirational for the Tangerines over the last fifteen months, not only in leading the Seasiders to the Premiership but also to within four victories, or 12 points, off Premier League survival (40 points). His range of passing, his composure from the penalty-spot, and his shooting from distance, but above all else his leadership qualities in the center of the park, make the Scottish international an almost irreplaceable figure in the Blackpool starting XI.

After requesting the club take Liverpool’s £4million bid for his services more seriously, is there a risk that Adam won’t even feature on Tuesday night? Holloway claims the former Rangers player is a model professional and has remained dignified throughout a winter transfer window which has focused largely on him and a possible move away from Bloomfield Road, but there are now doubts over his ability to perform against arguably the in-form team in the Premier League at present in the knowledge that he no longer wants to be part of the Blackpool set-up.

Adam’s transfer request couldn’t have come at a worse time for Blackpool chief Ian Holloway, whose charges are not only facing a formidable Manchester United side on Tuesday night but are also in a poor frame of mind following four defeats in their last five league games, five in their last six in all competitions if you include their 2-0 defeat in the third-round of the FA Cup to Southampton.

However, despite Holloway’s frustration at Liverpool’s relentless pursuit of what is inarguably his move influential player, without a doubt his most creative and inspirational asset, the 47-year old will take some heart from his opponent’s dreadful record away from home. The Red Devils have only secured all three points in two of their ten away league matches this season, as well as having scored 20 less than at Old Trafford. Nevertheless, the Manchester club remain the only team in the English football league undefeated this season and that extraordinary feat is unlikely to diminish on Tuesday now that Blackpool’s key man has his sights set on a move to Merseyside with United’s arch-rivals.

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Pointers

Blackpool

- Defeat on Tuesday would make it five defeats in their last six Premier League matches, what would be their worst run of the season in the top-flight.

- The Tangerines haven’t surpass two goals in a home encounter all season in the league, scoring twice on six occasions, once three times although have yet to draw a blank at home.

- Have scored in all nine of their games at Bloomfield Road in the Premier League this season, though have conceded in all nine as well.

- Holloway’s men have scored in the second half of their league games at Bloomfield Road in eight of their nine games.

- Just two of DJ Campbell’s 7 league goals for Blackpool have come on home soil.

Manchester United

- Despite recording only two away wins all season in the league, United still boast the fifth-best away record in the Premier League: W2 D8 L0.

- Five of United’s last six away goals have been scored in the second half.

- Just two of Dimitar Berbatov’s 17 goals in the league for the term have come away from Old Trafford.

- The Red Devils have gone in with a lead at the half-time interval in just two of their ten away games this season, their last coming six away matches ago when United beat Stoke City 2-1 at The Brittania on 24th October.

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Match Prediction: Manchester United to WIN – 1.40 WilliamHill

It was always going to be an uphill task for Blackpool, however Charlie Adam’s decision to hand in a transfer request in an attempt to force through a move to Liverpool has cast doubts over not only his frame of mind when pulling on a Blackpool shirt on Tuesday, but Holloway may not even be allowed to utilise his most influential player should a deal for the midfielder be thrashed out over the next 24 hours. Either way, I reckon Adam will want to say his goodbye’s to the fans so I’m sure he’ll make an appearance at some stage.

United, though, are far too strong on paper to pass up despite their less-than-flattering odds. Inconsistent and seemingly fragile on their travels, this match looks custom made for just their third away win of the season in the Premier League up against a Blackpool team currently in disarray following the Adam debacle, not to mention a demoralising run of defeats on top of a very leaky defence.

The Red Devils are in form and beginning to race through the gears. Blackpool have yet to be disgraced at home in the Premier League thus far, however that could all change on Tuesday night.

Value Bet: Javier Hernandez to Score – 2.88 StanJames

Despite the Bulgarian bagging yet another hat-trick at the weekend as United hammered a normally rock-solid and resilient Birmingham 5-0 at Old Trafford, leaving out his top-scorer would make perfect sense for Sir Alex. The Scot has a striker in Javier Hernandez who has more away goals under his belt than Berbatov, and the Mexican’s energy and sheer eagerness to score goals means he’s a good shout to get on the score-sheet providing he plays. Should he not start, he is a certainty to make a late appearance and it could pay to have a few quid on the youngster popping up with the last goal of the game: 6.50 StanJames.

Match Odds:

Blackpool – 9.00 SkyBet
Draw – 5.25 VictorChandler
Manchester United – 1.40 WilliamHill