Blackpool boss Neil Critchley delighted to welcome back Matty Virtue for rematch with Fleetwood Town

The midfielder has missed almost all of the campaign so far with a hamstring injury but is set to make his return against Fleetwood Town on Tuesday evening in the Papa John's Trophy.

The 23-year-old Liverpool Academy graduate has been sidelined since Blackpool's opening game of the season, the Carabao Cup tie at Stoke City in August, having played 31 times last season.

And Virtue's head coach is delighted to welcome him back. Critchley said: "Matty will be a big boost. From my time back at Liverpool I know his qualities - he's been a big miss for us.

"He's not been used to being injured for this amount of time. It's been a frustrating period for him.

"He'll be desperate to get back and get back involved, and we'll be delighted to have him back."

Virtue signed a contract extension during his injury lay-off, keeping him at the club next season, and Critchley added: "Matty, like most footballers worries, about his future. When their contracts are up, they know they might be out of work in eight months' time.

"I think it helped to just settle him down and it showed him what we think of him.

"It showed him our confidence and belief in him as a player and as a person, that we want to build our squad around the type of person and player Matty is.

"I hope it will give him that confidence and belief that we're invested in him, but not too much because you don't want players to get too comfortable or complacent.

"But Matty isn't like that. He's got plenty of fire in his belly and is a committed boy.

"We're delighted that he can get back and hopefully he can stay fit and be a big player for us from here until the end of the season"

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