Blackpool v Fulham RECAP: Updates from Bloomfield Road as Seasiders search for first league win against league leaders

Fulham are the bookies’ favourites to win promotion back to the Premier League following last season’s relegation.

Scott Parker left Craven Cottage during the summer to join Fulham’s promotion rivals Bournemouth, paving the way for Marco Silva to take over.

The Cottagers, who Blackpool haven’t beaten since 1998, have won four of their opening five league games, drawing the other. They’ve scored 13 goals in the process, conceding just three.

The London-outfit bolstered their ranks during the transfer window by signing Wales international Harry Wilson for £12m from Liverpool.

Former Chelsea midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah also arrived on deadline day from Watford for an undisclosed fee.

Striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has started the season in impressive form, scoring six times in seven games for both club and his country Serbia.

Speaking on Thursday, Silva revealed his side could be without as many as seven players for tomorrow’s game.

Apart from long-term injuries to Kenny Tete, Tom Cairney and Terence Kongolo, there is also a raft of international players causing concern.

Mitrovic has returned from duty with a black eye and “another issue” according to Silva.

USA players Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson are not due back in the UK until Thursday afternoon from a long-haul trip against Honduras, and Harry Wilson is to be assessed over a possible concussion playing for Wales.

“I’ve been very impressed with Fulham’s start to the season but I’ve not been surprised at all.

“They have some very good players and, coming down from the Premier League, they’ve retained a lot of their squad and added to it as well.

“They’ve got an experienced manager, they’re a good team and they’ve started well, so we’re under no illusions of the task we’ve got in front of us.

“But we can take a lot of heart from the performances we’ve given so far this season.

“We know we’ve got room to improve but I don’t think we’ve actually got the points we’ve deserved in our games, as things have just gone against us a little bit.

“We need to improve, definitely, but if we can keep performing like we’re performing with the same mentality and the same approach, then I’m confident when this group settles down - because the window is now closed we now have a group together - irrespective of the result on Saturday I expect us to improve between now and the next few weeks.”

Dujon Sterling, Ryan Wintle and Owen Dale will all be hoping to make their Blackpool debuts having signed towards the end of the transfer window.

Jordan Gabriel, meanwhile, could also be in line to make his ‘second debut’, so to speak, following his successful loan spell last season.

Matty Virtue (ACL), Grant Ward (ruptured achilles tendon), Demetri Mitchell (knee), CJ Hamilton (foot, pictured above) and Gary Madine (groin) are all out injured.

James Husband has been back in training after being left out of the 2-1 defeat to Millwall on August 28 with a calf problem.

Kenny Dougall, Tyreece John-Jules and Shayne Lavery all come back into contention after their international exploits, although the latter only joined back in with training on Friday after starting for Northern Ireland during Wednesday night’s World Cup qualifier against Switzerland.

Teddy Howe, Oliver Sarkic, Bez Lubala and Joe Nuttall have all been left out of Blackpool’s 25-man squad list and are therefore unable to feature.

The Seasiders haven’t played a competitive game since Saturday, August 28, when they were cruelly beaten 2-1 by Millwall at The Den.

Neil Critchley’s side welcome the early pacesetters to Bloomfield Road, bidding to cause an upset against the side that currently top the second tier table with 13 points out of a possible 15.

Marco Silva’s side are among the bookies’ favourites to win automatic promotion this season following their relegation from the Premier League last time out.

The Seasiders, meanwhile, are still searching for their first league win on their return to the Championship.

Critchley’s men have picked up just two points from their opening five games, leaving them third from bottom.

Saturday’s game is the first of back-to-back home league fixtures for Pool, who also host Huddersfield Town on Tuesday night.

And welcome to today’s live blog.

After a 14-day absence due to the international break, the Seasiders finally return to action today as they welcome league leaders Fulham to Bloomfield Road.

Neil Critchley’s men will be looking to claim their first league of the season, having remained winless in their opening five games.

Follow the blog for all the build-up, team news and live match-day updates.