Blackpool V West Ham at Bloomfield Road - Match Preview

Blackpool will be without Gary Taylor-Fletcher for the visit of West Ham after the forward suffered a knee injury during Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Everton.

The 30-year-old was stretched off after colliding with Toffees goalkeeper Tim Howard and left Goodison Park on crutches while wearing a protective support on his leg.

Seasiders boss Ian Holloway, who is also set to be without Alex Baptiste after the full-back needed stitches in a leg wound picked up at the weekend, is awaiting the results of a scan on Taylor-Fletcher with trepidation.

"You always fear the worse when one of your lads get injured," he told the Blackpool Gazette. "Fletch's kneecap and thigh were going one way and the lower part of his leg was knocked back the other way - that normally means some ligament damage.

"Fletch's knee is badly swollen and very sore. He has a cast on it and when it settles down we will see how he is. I have never seen anything like it in my life."

Holloway hopes to have Matt Phillips back in contention following the winger's two-match absence with a hamstring problem.

West Ham will aim to go top of the npower Championship table but they must do so without suspended duo Matt Taylor and Kevin Nolan.

Skipper Nolan serves the second game of a three-match ban following his dismissal in the derby against Millwall at the start of the month.

Left-winger Taylor begins a three-game suspension of his own after he was sent off in the 1-1 draw with Southampton.

Victory would move the Hammers above the Saints and manager Sam Allardyce believes his squad is capable of coping without Nolan and Taylor.

Recent signing Ravel Morrison captained the development squad to a 2-1 victory over QPR on Friday but Allardyce admits the former Manchester United prodigy will have to wait for his first-team bow.

Defender Guy Demel (thigh) could be included but midfielder Papa Bouba Diop (hamstring) is definitely out.



Source: PA

Source: PA