Fulham v Blackpool

Barclays Premier League
Venue: Craven Cottage Date: Sunday, 3 April Kick-off: 1330 BST
Coverage: Watch live on Sky Sports 1 and highlights on Match of the Day2; listen on BBC Radio 5 live and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles

TEAM NEWS

Fulham’s Steve Sidwell hopes to be ready to face Blackpool after over a month out with an ankle injury.

Aaron Hughes should play despite dislocating his shoulder on international duty, but Bobby Zamora is doubtful with illness.

Blackpool’s DJ Campbell serves the final game of his three-match ban.

Ian Holloway’s goalkeeper crisis has eased with Paul Rachubka and Matt Gilks playing for the reserves in midweek but Richard Kingson is expected to start.

Fulham

Doubtful: Hughes (shoulder), Sidwell (knee), Zamora (illness)

Injured: Senderos (Achilles)

Blackpool

Suspended: Campbell (one match)

Doubtful: Rachubka & Gilks (match fitness)

Injured: Carney (shoulder), Clarke (match fitness)

MATCH PREVIEW

A statue of the late king of pop Michael Jackson will be unveiled before Sunday’s game at Craven Cottage, which is a place where Fulham have been on song in 2011.

Everyone thought we would only get 10 points, so to have 33 at this stage of the season is brilliant by my lads Blackpool manager Ian Holloway

Mark Hughes’s side have won four of their last five home league matches, form that has helped to lift them out of the relegation zone. Another win on Sunday will put them within touching distance of the “40 point” mark, although in this highly competitive Premier League season, that is no guarantee of safety.

Ian Holloway says the Jackson tribute is “terrific” and his Blackpool side have been one of the Premier League’s biggest entertainers themselves this season.

Their games have produced more than 100 goals, with only the Premier League’s top three having scored more than the Seasiders’ 45 goals.

However, they have also conceded a top-flight high of 60, and with just one win in 10 league games, they need to rediscover their winning ways or the curtain could come down on their Premier League career after just one season.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• This is the 100th league meeting between the sides.

• Fulham are unbeaten in their last three matches against Blackpool and have lost only one of the last 14 league meetings between the pair. Blackpool’s last win over Fulham was in 1998.

• Blackpool’s last win at Fulham was in 1986. They have not won in any of their seven subsequent visits.

Fulham

• Fulham have won four of their last five matches at Craven Cottage and are unbeaten there in the league in 2011.

• They have drawn 14 league matches this season, more than any other team in the top flight.

• Fulham are the only Premier League club yet to concede from a penalty this season. The only one they gave away was missed by Manchester United’s Nani back in August.

• Fulham have conceded just one goal in the final 10 minutes of their league matches this season.

• Damien Duff is one goal away from scoring 50 in the Premier League. He would become the third Irishman to reach this milestone after Robbie Keane and Niall Quinn.

Blackpool

• Blackpool have won just one of their last 10 league matches.

• The Tangerines have lost four of their last five away matches although they are sixth in the 2010/11 Premier League away form table.

• Blackpool are without a clean sheet in their last 13 league games and they have lost nine times during this period. They are also bottom of the Premier League form table over the last eight games.

• The Seasiders have not won any of their three Premier League visits to London this season (D1, L2). They have not scored in the capital but have conceded 10.

• Charlie Adam has scored nine Premier League goals this season. If he scores again, he will be the first Scotsman to reach double figures in a season since Paul Dickov scored 11 goals for Leicester City in 2003/04.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Fulham

Dempsey: 11 goals (10 league); Kamara: 5 goals (2 league)

Blackpool

Campbell: 10 goals* (10 league); Adam: 10 goals (9 league)

*Includes 1 goal (1 league) for Leicester

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Stuart Attwell

Assistant referees: Mike Cairns & Ron Ganfield

Fourth official: Phil Dowd

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Fulham (L1-2 v Everton, a): Schwarzer, Baird, Hughes, Hangeland, Salcido, Duff (Kakuta 75), Murphy, Etuhu (Zamora 60), Dempsey, Dembele, Johnson (Gudjohnsen 84). Subs not used: Stockdale, Kelly, Greening, Davies.

Blackpool (D2-2 v Blackburn, a): Kingson, Baptiste, Cathcart, Evatt, Crainey, Grandin (Phillips 66), Adam (Southern 88), Vaughan, Puncheon, Taylor-Fletcher, Varney (Reid 81). Subs not used: Halstead, Eardley, Ormerod, Beattie.