Blues Take On Blackpool And Need To Win

Manager Chris Hughton has no new injury or suspension problems for this eagerly-anticipated encounter.

However, he is unable to welcome back Stephen Carr (knee) or Keith Fahey (groin), while Steven Caldwell (groin) and Boaz Myhill (thumb) are out for the rest of the season.

Goalkeeper Colin Doyle is okay despite injuring his arm during the first half of the first leg at Bloomfield Road on Friday night, which the Seasiders won 1-0 after Tom Ince’s shot took a deflection off Blues skipper Curtis Davies.

Jonathan Spector made his long-awaited return from a thigh injury to step off the bench and shore up the midfield late on and the American will again be involved.

Blackpool expect defender Ian Evatt to be fit.

Evatt suffered a broken nose in training 24 hours before Blackpool’s final regular-season game against Millwall, where he took part and netted a diving header in a 2-2 draw.

An accidental clash with Blues striker Marlon King left the centre-back with blood streaming from the injury in the closing stages of last Friday’s 1-0 first-leg victory at Bloomfield Road.

Roman Bednar resumed training ahead of the game following a knee injury but failed to make the matchday 16 and the on-loan West Brom striker must press his claims once more.

Centre-back Craig Cathcart is unlikely to take part having recently undergone tests due to heart palpitations.