Our prediction for this Championship match:
WBA will look to make amends for a heart-breaking 3-1 loss to Stoke City when they take on Blackpool on Friday afternoon. The Baggies are having a season to forget, with the team almost certainly missing out on a spot in the playoffs. However, the hope dies last, and we are positive that WBA will go all guns blazing at the Seasiders. Callum Robinson is widely expected to return to the starting XI, while both Kean Bryan and Daryl Dike remain in the recovery room.
Blackpool, on the other hand, are on a four-game winless run ahead of the trip to Birmingham. Since the mid-table visitors have little to play for in the season finale, we are tempted to put our money on the Baggies. All Sterling, Garbutt, Carey, and Ward should miss out with injuries for the away side.
Highlighted Player (Callum Robinson):
Born in Northampton, Callum Robinson started his career at Aston Villa. Having gone through the youth ranks with the Villans, Robinson was given his first-team debut in 2013. As a product of the Aston Villa academy, Robinson unfortunately never got a chance to prove his worth at the club and ended up playing no less than 4 league appearances during his three-year stay at Villa Park.
Various loan spells – at Preston North End on two occasions and Bristol City – brought mixed fortunes for the striker up until 2016 when he sealed a permanent move with the Lillywhites. Robinson represented England at U16, U17, U19 and U20 levels but raised plenty of eyebrows when he declared for the Republic of Ireland in March 2018 through his late grandmother who was from Monaghan.
The striker made his senior team breakthrough in Republic of Ireland’s 2-2 draw with Celtic in Scott Brown’s testimonial match and will be hoping to prove doubters wrong and prove his motive is bigger than career opportunism.
Highlighted Team (Blackpool):
Blackpool FC are a professional English club based in Blackpool, Lancashire. Considering that Blackpool is a seaside town, it is no surprise they are nicknamed the Seasiders. Founded back in 1887, the club play their home matches at Bloomfield Road, which can hold up to 17,338 spectators. In the 2009/2010 season Blackpool secured promotion to the Premier League, but they were not competitive at this level, suffering relegation to the Championship the following season.
The club’s biggest success, though, came in 1953 when they defeated Bolton Wanderers 4-3 in the FA Cup final. Blackpool are well known for their orange shirts, but the dominant colour of their away kit is white. Preston are considered the club’s biggest rivals, with the two teams facing each other in the West Lancashire derby.
Charlie Adam, who played for Liverpool and has 26 caps for Scotland national team, is regarded as one of the club’s most notable players.