Mick McCarthy explains Jerry Yates absence after Blackpool's defeat to Cardiff City

And welcome to today’s live blog.

The Seasiders will be hoping it’s a very Good Friday when they take on their relegation rivals in a huge six-pointer down at the wrong end of the Championship.

Make sure to follow the blog for build-up, team news, live match updates and post-match reaction.

There can be no doubt that today’s encounter against relegation rivals Cardiff City is a must-win game for the Seasiders.

With just seven games remaining, Mick McCarthy’s side find themselves four points adrift of safety.

Cardiff are the side they need to catch, so a win in this huge six-pointer would see the gap cut to just a point, albeit the Bluebirds do have a game in hand still to play.

The Seasiders must be much improved from last weekend’s defeat in the derby if they’re to get anything from this game.

As for Sabri Lamouchi’s men, they’re without a win in their last three outings and were beaten by their fierce rivals Swansea City in their last game after conceding in the 99th minute.

Josh Smith is today’s referee. He’s dished out 121 yellow cards during the 28 games he’s taken charge of this season, plus four reds.

This will be the fourth Blackpool game he’s refereed this season, having overseen the 3-1 defeat to Hull City, the goalless draw against Rotherham United and the 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture against Cardiff.

Jordan Thorniley is expected to come back into contention after recovering from a sickness bug.

The defender was due to start in the derby against Preston North End last weekend before falling sick.

It saw the 26-year-old drop out of the line-up and the squad altogether, with Jordan Gabriel taking his place in the back three.

But Thorniley has now recovered, with Mick McCarthy confirming the defender is part of his squad.

Elsewhere, Marvin Ekpiteta, Charlie Goode, Liam Bridcutt, Kevin Stewart, Tom Trybull, Shayne Lavery, Jake Beesley and Gary Madine all remain sidelined.

As for Cardiff, they’ll be without their top goalscorer Callum Robinson, who could be missing for the remainder of the season through injury.

Perry Ng and Connor Wickham are expected to be fit, but Callum O’Dowda is a doubt and Kion Etete has been ruled out.

“It’s always that one, ‘must-win game’, that’s the headline. We can’t lose, put it that way.

“I want to beat everybody, not anybody in particular.

“I did alright there at Cardiff, I enjoyed my time down there. They were a great set of lads and they treated me very well and that includes the board as well when I left.

“I’ve no other axe to grind with them other than they’re above us and we want to beat them and we want to take points off them.

“Other than that, nothing else.”

“We must be positive and look forward to another story and battle at Blackpool. It’ll be another tough game for us,” Sabri Lamouchi said.

“There are only three points on offer, but I understand the importance of the game and a win would be fantastic for us. This battle for safety will be between five or six teams and it’ll be a big battle until the end of the season.

“I was absolutely [positive] on day one and I’m absolutely positive today about the quality of this squad. Of course, we need to be more killer [sic.], have more personality and read the game at the right time, but my mindset is the same with eight games to manage and to try to win.

“After Blackpool it’s Sunderland on Monday and we have to be positive game after game.”

After the defeat to Preston in the derby last time out, the fans are demanding changes and the chances are we’ll get them.

Charlie Patino, Ian Poveda and Josh Bowler all made an impact off the bench last week and could come into the starting XI as a result.

With that in mind, here’s how we think the Seasiders could line up in their must-win game...

Blackpool - 17/10

Draw - 2/1

Cardiff - 17/10

Odds according to Betway