BLACKPOOL will still be cursing themselves for letting a 2-0 lead slip against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup but they have the chance to finish the job at home in this third-round replay at Bloomfield Road.
The League One side were outsiders at the City Ground and our man Gabriel fancied Forest to win pretty comfortably. But Blackpool raced ahead with a first-half double only for the Premier League to rally and battle back to force a 2-2 draw.
Nottingham Forest haven't played since that clash with Blackpool, with the top flight going into a mini break, while Neil Critchley's men have been in action twice.
The Seasiders won both of those games, seeing off Burton Albion in the EFL Trophy then Exeter in League One, so they will be feeling good about themselves heading into this replay.
Forest will be refreshed after a 10-day break though and that time off will have given new boss Nuno Espirito Santo some time to drill home his methods in training.
The former Wolves and Spurs boss has got off to a decent start, with his side beating Newcastle and Manchester United before almost coming a cropper against Blackpool at the City Ground.
If Nottingham Forest can match the standards set in their recent Premier League outings, they should have too much class for their League One opponents.
How the bookies view it
Nottingham Forest are heavy favourites to go through at 1/2 with Coral but the price increases to a generous 19/20 at QuinnBet for a win inside 90 minutes. Blackpool are 3/1 with Unibet to win in normal time and 17/10 with Betway to reach the fourth round. The draw at 90 minutes pays 29/10 at Midnite.
Recent head to head
These sides are now two divisions apart but they were both in the Championship just a few years ago. There hasn't been much between of late, with the last 11 meetings producing two Blackpool wins, three Nottingham Forest victories and six stalemates. Blackpool fans will be hoping for a repeat of last year's FA Cup tie at Bloomfield Road as they romped to a 4-1 victory over Forest in the third round.
Players to watch
Midfielder Albie Morgan scored at the City Ground and followed it up with a match-winning double on Saturday against Exeter. He's 15/2 at Bet365 for another goal here and that looks a bit overpriced.
Chris Wood was on fire over the festive period for Nottingham Forest, netting four times in the two games either side of Christmas. The Kiwi has eight for the season and is 7/4 with Bet365 to add to that tally here.
Anything else catch the eye?
Although Blackpool are in good form and gave Nottingham Forest a shock at the City Ground, I can see Santo's refreshed side getting the job done in the return. Backing the Premier League outfit to be winning at half-time and full-time pays 21/10 at McBookie.
It ended 7-0 to Nottingham Forest on the corner count in the last meeting so that suggests backing the top-flight team at -1 in that handicap could be a smart move at 11/8 with Bet365. Blackpool should have a go on home soil so over nine match corners also appeals at evens with the same firm.
Critchley's men picked up five yellows at the City Ground and backing Blackpool cards could pay off in the return. Callum Connolly has four yellows from his last seven outings and is 15/8 at Bet365 to go in the book again.
This FA Cup match between Blackpool and Nottingham Forest will be played on Jan 17, 2024 and kick off at 19:45. Check below for our tipsters best Blackpool vs Nottingham Forest prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
