Blackpool v Peterborough United: Build-up, team news and live match updates

Dan Grimshaw jumps forward bravely to claim the ball ahead of Jake Taylor. That was a great bit of goalkeeping.

Josh Bowler gets in space down the right and has the chance to slip in Jordan Gabriel on the overlap, but he overhits his pass and it’s out for a Posh goal kick.

Promising, nonetheless.

Kenny Dougall gets the game underway.

Up the mighty Pool!!

It seems plenty of Blackpool supporters have taken heed of the club’s advice and arrived early at the ground to get through the Covid-19 checks.

There seems to be a lot more fans inside the ground than there normally would be for this time.

Fingers crossed it’s all going off without a hitch at the turnstiles.

Neil Critchley has rung the changes once again for today’s crunch clash against Peterborough United.

Following last week’s dire defeat against Derby County, Blackpool’s head coach has opted to make FIVE changes to his starting XI.

One is enforced, with goalkeeper and club captain Chris Maxwell dropping out after suffering a recurrence of his quad injury. Dan Grimshaw is the man to replace him.

Elsewhere, Dujon Sterling, Callum Connolly, Owen Dale and Sonny Carey all drop down to the bench.

Jordan Gabriel, Kenny Dougall, Josh Bowler and Gary Madine are the four to replace them.

Madine, who was the last Pool player to score from open play at Bloomfield Road back in October, returns from a groin injury to start alongside Shayne Lavery in attack.

Reece James, meanwhile, is fit enough to start again having shaken off a hamstring injury he suffered at Pride Park last week.

Oliver Casey (ankle), Luke Garbutt (knee), Kevin Stewart (ankle), Matty Virtue (ACL) and Grant Ward (achilles) all remain sidelined.

The likes of Richard Keogh, Demetri Mitchell, CJ Hamilton and Tyreece John-Jules aren’t involved.

Posh, who begin the day inside the bottom three, make x changes to the side that picked up a vital 2-1 win against Millwall last week.

Darren Ferguson’s side have endured a torrid run of results on the road this season, having lost 10 of their 11 away games.

The gap between Posh and the bottom three and the Seasiders currently stands at eight points.

This afternoon’s encounter is just one of 14 3pm kick-offs to take place in England’s top four divisions, as Covid wreaks havoc on the football schedule.

Gary Madine was among the group of players that have just walked out of the tunnel and up the steps to attend Blackpool’s pre-match meeting.

Neil Critchley confirmed the striker was back in training this week during his pre-match press conference on Thursday.

Madine, let’s not forget, was the last player to score from open play here at Bloomfield Road during the 2-0 win against Preston in October.

You would like to think with fewer than two hours until kick-off today’s game will certainly go ahead. But Burnley’s trip to Aston Villa in the Premier League has just been called off, so who knows?

Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

If it does go ahead, it will be one of just 14 3pm kick-offs that take place today.