Blackpool v Reading: Live updates from the first game of the Championship season
and live on Freeview channel 276
Paul Ince and son Tom are back in town as the Seasiders look to kick off the 2022/23 campaign with a victory.
Follow our blog for build-up, team news, live match updates and post-match reaction...
Blackpool v Reading LIVE
Key Events
- FT: Blackpool 1-0 Reading
- Seasiders host Paul Ince’s Royals in first game of the season
- Michael Appleton hoping to get second spell off to a positive start
- Richard Keogh an injury doubt
Michael Appleton’s pre-match quotes
“I’ve had a taste of the atmosphere over the last couple of weekends with the Rangers and Everton games, which gave me a little bit of a feel of what you would like and what you would come to expect over the last couple of seasons,” Appleton said, speaking on Friday morning.
“I’m really excited, I can’t wait. I wish it was today so we could all crack on and get on with it.
“Once that first game is done and out of the way, there’s a realisation then that this is the business part of the game.
“Once Paul went into Reading they’ve sured up things from a defensive point of view because of the amount of goals they leaked in the early part of the season,” Appleton added.
“They look like they’ve changed a little bit in terms of their style and formation and settled on a certain system, so I think they will be very hard to beat, they will make it difficult and get into a block really early and try and stifle us and force us to play in front of them, so we’ve got to make sure we don’t get lured into those traps.”
Team news
Richard Keogh is an injury doubt after picking up a groin issue during the second-half of last week’s friendly against Everton.
Speaking yesterday, Michael Appleton rated Keogh’s chances of being fit as 50-50.
If the 35-year-old is unavailable, the Seasiders are likely to turn to either debutant Rhys Williams in defence or Jordan Thorniley.
Elsewhere, Jordan Gabriel, James Husband (both hamstring), Kevin Stewart and Jake Beesley (both stress fractures of the foot) will all miss out through injury.
Gabriel has made “significant” progress over the past week though and could return to training ahead of the trip to Stoke City.
As for Reading, their dangerous striker Lucas Joao could miss out through injury alongside defenders Scott Dann and Liam Moore.
Good afternoon
And welcome to today’s live blog - the first of the 2022/23 Championship campaign!
After what has felt like a long summer, the Seasiders finally get down to the important stuff as they kick-off their season with a home clash against Reading.
Follow our blog for build-up, team news, live match updates and post-match reaction.