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Blackpool managed to stop the rot on Saturday on their return to Championship action with a goalless draw against Birmingham City.

Michael Appleton addresses Grant Ward’s absence in Blackpool’s return against Bi...

Michael Appleton’s side had lost their last four games before the World Cup break, leaving them second bottom in the table.

But the Seasiders managed to grind out a fairly drab goalless draw at the weekend to at least give them something to build on heading into next weekend’s trip to Cardiff.

The result means they stay in 23rd, two points adrift of safety and four points ahead of bottom side Huddersfield Town, who still have a game in hand.

Appleton’s men know they can leapfrog next weekend’s opponents with a win though, considering the Bluebirds are only two points ahead of them in the table.

According to an updated predictions table from FiveThirtyEight, Blackpool are still predicted to stay up this season but only by the skin of their teeth.

The ‘supercomputer’ has the Seasiders finishing 20th, three places higher than their current position, but only above the dreaded dropzone on goal difference.

Michael Appleton's side currently find themselves sitting 23rd in the table

The Seasiders are tipped to finish the season with a goal difference of -17, one goal better than Wigan Athletic and seven better than Hull City, with the three sides all forecasted to finish on 51 points.

Should Pool reach that tally, it will be nine fewer than they managed under Neil Critchley last season.

According to statisticians and data experts, Blackpool have a 39 per cent chance of being relegated back to League One and only a one per chance of making the play-offs.

Huddersfield are forecasted to finish bottom where they will be joined by Rotherham and Hull in the bottom three.

Following the first round of fixtures back from the World Cup break, data experts at FiveThirtyEight have crunched the numbers and predicted how the final Championship table will look…

FiveThirtyEight’s predicted Championship table

Team Predicted Points

Burnley 85

Sheffield United 83

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Norwich City 74

Watford 72

Middlesbrough 69

Millwall 68

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Preston 67

West Brom 66

Coventry City 66

Swansea City 66

Luton Town 64

Blackburn Rovers 64

Birmingham City 63

QPR 62

Sunderland 61

Reading 61

Stoke City 59

Bristol City 58

Cardiff City 55

Blackpool 51

Wigan 51

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Hull 51

Rotherham 50

Huddersfield 46

Data experts predict tight finish for Blackpool, Hull City and Wigan Athletic in dramatic relegation scrap

FiveThirtyEight’s predicted Championship table