With NINE players out, do Blackpool have a deeper-lying issue with injuries?

The Seasiders have consistently struggled with injuries over the last few years, a problem that has reared its ugly head once again this summer.

Blackpool were without NINE senior first-team players for their opening day win against Reading, with a similar number expected to miss today’s trip to Stoke City.

Some have suggested Blackpool’s Squires Gate training ground could be a factor, but Appleton believes the Seasiders have just been unlucky with some of the knocks they’ve picked up in recent weeks.

Chris Maxwell (groin), Luke Garbutt (hamstring) and Keshi Anderson (knee) became the latest trio to join the treatment room last week.

“We will monitor it and will try and do something to make sure it doesn’t happen,” Appleton told The Gazette, when asked about the club’s problem with injuries.

“But I don’t think there are any themes in terms of calves or hamstrings, it’s very random some of the stuff we’re picking up.

“Coming in on day one, there were a couple of lads who had stress fractures of the foot, Jake Beesley being one and Kevin Stewart being the other. Those things can happen any time, anywhere.

“We’ve been a bit unlucky, but you never want to have too many players in the treatment room because the more healthy players you’ve got, the more difficult my decisions are.

“When you have difficult decisions to make, it means you’ve got a clean bill of health.”

Speaking to The Gazette last week, chief executive Ben Mansford revealed the club now undertake a much more stringent process when completing medicals with new recruits.

Kevin Stewart has been a regular absentee through injury for the Seasiders and the midfielder is still not expected back for another month.

He remains on the sidelines with Chris Maxwell, Doug Tharme, Richard Keogh, Jordan Gabriel, James Husband, Luke Garbutt, Keshi Anderson and Jake Beesley.

Keogh was expected to be back in contention for this afternoon’s game against Stoke after missing Blackpool’s opening day win against Reading with a groin issue.

But Appleton has revealed the 35-year-old is “still struggling” with the injury and is unlikely to feature at the bet365 Stadium.