After losses each at home in the midweek FA Cup replays, Bristol Rovers will welcome Blackpool to the Memorial Stadium as two of the promotion hopefuls in League One look to get closer to the playoff spots in January.
Neither one of these two sides are currently within the promotion spots right now, but there are only a handful of points within it for Blackpool. Currently, the Tangerines are just seven points adrift of Oxford United in sixth place and have now scored 44 goals after a 2-0 win over Exeter City last time out in the league. Albie Morgan was once again the hero that day with a goal in either half, and he also managed to score in the 3-2 midweek loss to the Premier League Nottingham Forest alongside a goal from Kyle Joseph.
There should still be confidence for Blackpool fans getting into the playoffs this season, but it is going to take a bit of fortune. Right now, however, the club are on a two-game unbeaten run in the league after also defeating Lincoln City 2-0 on New Year's Day.
Another win in the Football League Trophy over Burton Albion at Bloomfield Road and the 2-2 draw at the County Ground with Forest means only the midweek defeat to the Premier League outfit is all that is on the board in 2024 for Blackpool.
As for Bristol, they were also beaten during the week at home in a midweek FA Cup replay, as Luke McCormick's opening goal in the first half was cancelled out by three second half finishes from Norwich City.
In complete contrast to Blackpool, this now means no win in 2024 for Rovers, having last defeated Charlton Athletic back in late December. The club have gone on to lsoe to Wycombe Wanderers away from home on New Year's Day and Barnsley in the league last weekend. They did get a commendable draw away to the Championship's Norwich, but the midweek loss means that result is meaningless.