Stockport County vs Blackpool - prediction, team news, lineups

Looking to commencement the caller play with successive League One victories, Stockport County invited Blackpool to Edgeley Park connected Saturday afternoon.

The Hatters opened the run with an awesome 3-1 triumph implicit chap playoff hopefuls Plymouth Argyle, portion Ian Evatt's Blackpool were held to a 1-1 gully by Wycombe Wanderers.

Match preview

After Dave Challinor's broadside suffered playoff heartbreak against Bolton Wanderers astatine Wembley past season, Stockport volition beryllium determined to enactment that 4-1 decision down them and marque a affirmative commencement to the caller campaign.

One of Stockport's archetypal challenges was adapting to beingness without Challinor, who departed aft astir 5 years astatine the helm, with Jimmy McNulty appointed arsenic his successor pursuing much than 3 years successful complaint of Rochdale.

After an unbeaten pre-season, which included victories implicit Championship absorption Bristol City and Preston North End, the Hatters suffered a penalty-shootout decision to Doncaster Rovers successful the League Cup earlier making an emphatic commencement to their league run against Plymouth Argyle.

Stockport, who finished conscionable 4 points supra the Pilgrims past season, travelled to Home Park expecting 1 of their toughest distant assignments of the campaign, but goals from Jack Diamond, Kyle Wootton and Ryan Glover inspired an awesome 3-1 victory.

That effect besides underlined 1 of Stockport's biggest strengths from past season, with the Hatters proving precise beardown connected their travels.

Only 3 teams collected much points distant from location than Stockport during the 2025-26 campaign, with 2 of those sides yet securing promotion to the Championship.

As for visiting Blackpool, they participate the 2026-27 run determined to debar different play spent battling astatine the incorrect extremity of the League One table.

Although their eventual 13th-place finish suggested a comfy mid-table campaign, the Seasiders spent overmuch of past play looking implicit their shoulders and sat 21st with conscionable 9 matches remaining.

Evatt's broadside yet ended the play with 4 consecutive victories to ascent to 13th and decorativeness 11 points wide of the driblet zone, but they volition beryllium wary of relying connected different late-season tally of signifier to support them up.

Blackpool besides mislaid cardinal striker Ashley Fletcher implicit the summer, with the 15-goal guardant joining Huddersfield Town and leaving a important void successful their attack.

Dion Charles has been brought successful to capable that gap, moving successful the other absorption connected indebtedness from the Terriers, with Blackpool hoping helium tin rediscover the signifier that saw him people 30 League One goals crossed 2 seasons a fewer years agone astatine Bolton Wanderers. 

The Seasiders began the caller run with a comprehensive League Cup triumph implicit Grimsby Town earlier rescuing a constituent against Wycombe Wanderers connected the opening time of their League One run with a precocious equaliser.

Blackpool volition beryllium looking to amended their grounds against Saturday's opponents, having failed to triumph immoderate of their 4 meetings with Stockport County to date.

Stockport County League One form:

Stockport County signifier (all competitions):

Blackpool League One form:

Blackpool signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Having reported nary caller injuries pursuing their opening League One fixture, McNulty could sanction an unchanged broadside aft resting respective first-team players for the midweek EFL Trophy thrashing implicit Everton Under-21s.

Malik Mothersille marked that lucifer with a hat-trick and could beryllium rewarded with a spot successful the squad this play aft missing the travel to Plymouth.

Key attackers Diamond and Wootton are expected to clasp their places successful the starting XI, portion skipper Oliver Norwood should proceed to anchor the midfield.

As for Blackpool, Evatt is apt to beryllium forced into astatine slightest 1 alteration aft Jordan Brown was forced disconnected injured during the opening-day draw.

Albie Morgan replaced Brown aft conscionable 38 minutes and could present beryllium handed a start, with the midfielder expected to miss Saturday's encounter.

Charles is yet to marque his archetypal commencement for the Seasiders, but Evatt could crook to the Northern Ireland planetary from the start, portion Finley Munroe volition besides beryllium pushing for a starting spot aft marking his Blackpool debut with a extremity from the bench.

Stockport County imaginable starting lineup:

Whatmuff; Gordon, O'Connell, Pye; Glover, Bate, Norwood, Osborn; Diamond, Wootton, Wood

Blackpool imaginable starting lineup:

Peacock-Farrell; Williams, Casey, Ashworth, Coulson; Morgan; Bowler, Honeyman, Anderson; Charles, Munroe

We say: Stockport County 2-0 Blackpool

Stockport finished past play 10 places and 17 points up of Blackpool, underlining the important spread successful prime betwixt the 2 sides heading into the caller campaign.

With the Hatters already showing their spot connected the roadworthy connected the opening weekend, we expect them to transportation that momentum into their archetypal league fixture astatine Edgeley Park and marque it 2 wins from two.

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