Blackpool vs Nottingham Forest predictions: Forest could flop
- Blackpool have won nine of their last 10 home games
- Forest have lost their last eight away FA Cup ties, including a third-round loss to Blackpool last year
- Recommended bet: Blackpool to qualify
League One Blackpool will seek a repeat of last year’s 4-1 third-round win over Nottingham Forest when they entertain the Premier League side in Wednesday’s replay.
The promotion-chasing Tangerines gave Forest another almighty scare when they led 2-0 at the City Ground in the original tie, but they were hanging on at the end after Nuno Espirito Santo’s men fought back to level terms.
Neil Critchley will hope his team’s formidable home form gets them over the line in this rematch at Bloomfield Road.
Team news
Kylian Kouassi and Shayne Lavery will be missing again for Blackpool due to hamstring injuries, while fellow forward Jake Beesley is still recovering from an ankle problem.
Midfielder Kenny Dougall has been left out lately and defender Matthew Penningtion has been dealing with a concussion, so the Seasiders’ starting XI could look a lot like the one Critchley selected at the City Ground.
There, he went with a front three of Jordan Rhodes, Karamako Dembele and CJ Hamilton and a back three of James Husband, Oliver Casey and Callum Connolly.
Meanwhile, Forest are still without their six African Cup of Nations representatives - Willy Boly, Cheikhou Kouyate, Serge Aurier, Ibrahim Sangare, Ola Aina and Moussa Niakhate.
Taiwo Awoniyi (groin) and Felipe (calf) remain on the treatment table, but Anthony Elanga could overcome the knock that kept him out of the original tie to feature, while Divock Origi’s status is uncertain after he missed the last two games.
The stats
Blackpool have the best home record in League One with 10 wins, two draws and only two defeats from their 15 games at Bloomfield Road this season.
Forest have won only two of their last 10 games at Bloomfield Road with five draws and three defeats in that time.
The Premier League club have won just two away games in all competitions in the last calendar year.
Prediction
Blackpool have to be given serious consideration to progress from this tie now given how well they have competed against Forest in the last two cup clashes.
Critchley’s side have turned Bloomfield Road into a real stronghold this season and Forest’s flaky away form suggests this will be far from easy for them, despite the two-division difference between the clubs.
Nuno's cup record in English football is not that bad, but the majority of his wins came in one run to the FA Cup semi-finals with Wolves and they exited at the third-round stage in two of his four seasons at Molineux.
This clash has all the makings of a cup shock and, with Forest tagged as favourites, opens up a wealth of opportunities to back the home side to avoid defeat or progress in some manner after extra-time and penalties.
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