In the third round of fixtures of the new Championship season, Blackpool will welcome Swansea City to Bloomfield Road on Saturday.

The visitors arrive looking for a first league win of the season, while their hosts suffered a defeat after an opening-day victory, and both come in on the back of exits from the EFL Cup.

Match preview

After enjoying a largely positive first season back in the Championship last time around, eventually finishing 16th following their rise from the third tier, Blackpool experienced change over the summer, as promotion-winning manager Neil Critchley departed with Michael Appleton now at the helm.

Life as the Tangerines' boss began well for Appleton, as they hosted Reading on the opening day and came away with all three points thanks to Callum Connolly's early goal.

The Lancashire outfit then faced the tough test of a trip to Stoke City and would fall short, with goals from Harry Clarke and Jacob Brown either side of half time condemning them to a 2-0 defeat.

Their attention was briefly taken off the new league campaign in midweek as the EFL Cup began, and, in their first-round tie with Barrow, the Tangerines would eventually lose in a penalty shootout at Bloomfield Road after a goalless draw in normal time.

Now able to focus on the clear priority of England's second tier, Appleton's men will hope to make it two wins from three league outings when they play host to Swansea City on Saturday.

The Welsh outfit arrive hoping to score a first win of the new season, having endured a tough start.

Heading into their second season under the management of Russell Martin, the Swans began with a trip to newly-promoted Rotherham United, and, after Chiedozie Ogbene put their hosts ahead, they were only able to share the spoils thanks to Harry Darling's long-range effort in the 38th minute.

That was followed by a home contest against Blackburn Rovers, and Martin's men were comfortably beaten as Sammie Szmodics, Ben Brereton Diaz and Lewis Travis got on the scoresheet in a 3-0 away triumph.

Their EFL Cup tie in midweek also went to a penalty shootout, having been pegged back in injury time by Oxford United after Jay Fulton and Liam Cullen had put them two goals ahead, and the Swans would also drop out of the competition with Matthew Sorinola's miss being decisive as their hosts converted all five of their spot kicks.

Martin will now certainly emphasise the importance of adding a first notch to Swansea's wins column at the weekend, as they aim to improve on last year's position and mount a challenge in the top half this time around.

Team News

Blackpool made plenty of rotations for their EFL Cup tie, and Michael Appleton should revert back to a similar starting XI to the first two Championship games on Saturday, with the likes of Rhys Williams, Matty Virtue and goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw set to return from the outset.

The preferred attacking unit of Josh Bowler, Jerry Yates and Gary Madine should also return, having hit seven, eight and nine Championship goals respectively last season.

Virtue and Lewis Fiorini appear to have nailed down places in the midfield, likely leaving Kenneth Dougall, Sonny Carey and Arsenal loanee Charlie Patino to fight for the final spot. 

Martin also made plenty of changes for their game against Oxford and will call back on the likes of Matt Grimes, Olivier Ntcham, Nathan Wood and Kyle Naughton.

Joe Allen could be in line for a first start following his return to the Swans in the summer after leaving for Liverpool in 2012, although Jay Fulton has been preferred alongside Grimes thus far.

Michael Obafemi and Joel Piroe remain key men in attack, having put up combined tallies of 34 goals and nine assists in the Championship last season.

Blackpool possible starting lineup:
Grimshaw; Connolly, Ekpiteta, Williams, Thompson; Fiorini, Dougall, Virtue; Bowler, Madine, Yates

Swansea City possible starting lineup:
Fisher; Wood, Naughton, Darling; Latibeaudiere, Grimes, Allen, Manning; Ntcham, Obafemi, Piroe

We say: Blackpool 1-1 Swansea City

We do not see Swansea's struggles lasting too long, and, while they do boast the quality to leave with three points, we opt for a share of the spoils at Bloomfield Road.

Martin's side have the tools to hurt their hosts and will attempt to dominate the ball but can leave themselves vulnerable as a result, and we back the Tangerines to take a point.

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