Preview: Barnsley vs Blackpool - prediction, team news, lineups

Blackpool will be looking to extend their unbeaten start to the League One season when they head to Oakwell on Wednesday.

The Tangerines head into the midweek round of fixtures as the league leaders, while the Tykes occupy ninth spot in the League One table.

Match preview

After replacing Conor Hourihane in the summer, Daniel Stendel has overseen just one of the first five matches of his second spell as Barnsley boss.

The Tykes started their campaign with a penalty shootout victory over Wigan Athletic in the EFL Cup, before they went goalless in their first two league matches, a 1-0 defeat to Bromley and a goalless draw with Doncaster Rovers.

Fortunately for Barnsley, the goals have flowed with ease in their last two competitive outings, recording a 3-2 success against Crewe Alexandra in the EFL Cup second round before netting three more to claim their first league win of the season in Saturday's away clash with Leyton Orient.

Mackenzie Kirk, Cameron McGeehan and Reyes Cleary all found the net in a commanding 3-1 win, a repeat of the result they pulled off in their previous trip to Brisbane Road in March.

The Tykes will now look to repeat the 2-1 victory they recorded in January's home meeting with Blackpool.

Stendel has also enjoyed success against the Tangerines, winning his two previous league meetings in his first spell as Barnsley boss in the 2018-19 season, which produced a 1-0 away win and a 2-1 victory at Oakwell.

Like Barnsley, Blackpool have lost just one of their opening five competitive games of the season, although their only defeat took place in the EFL rather than the league.

After beating Grimsby Town in the EFL Cup first round, the Tangerines started the league season with a draw against Wycombe Wanderers and a narrow win away to Stockport County.

Ian Evatt's side then fell to their first defeat of the 2026-27 campaign, with a Zak Ashworth red card proving costly in a heavy 4-1 defeat to Lincoln City in the EFL Cup.

To the Tangerines' credit, they swiftly put that result behind them to hand out a thrashing of their own in Saturday's home meeting with Peterborough, which saw Jordan Williams, Dion Charles, Karoy Anderson and Jerry Yates all find the net in a commanding 4-0 victory.

Having taken seven points from three league games, Blackpool start the midweek round of fixtures level on points with second-placed Huddersfield Town and three points better off than their opponents.

They may have lost on their most recent trip to Oakwell, but Blackpool still boast an encouraging record of three wins from their last four head-to-head away meetings.

Barnsley League One form:

Barnsley form (all competitions):

Blackpool League One form:

Blackpool form (all competitions):

Team News

The hosts will be without the injured trio of Cieran Slicker, Isaac Smith and Vimal Yoganathan until October.

Amani Richards is pushing for a starting spot following his appearance as a half-time substitute in Saturday’s win over Leyton Orient.

Kirk, who is on a season-long loan from Portsmouth, will continue to lead the line for the hosts after opening his Barnsley account at the weekend.

The Tangerines are unable to call upon Fraser Horsfall, Michael Ihiekwe, Jordan Brown, Niall Ennis and Dale Taylor.

Full-back Hayden Coulson is a doubt after missing Saturday’s win over Peterborough with a dead leg.

Blackpool are set to welcome back Ashworth and Ilmari Niskanen from suspension and injury, respectively.

Barnsley possible starting lineup:

Ravenhill; Noslin, O’Riordan, Gale, Kay; Bland, McGeehan; Richards, Kelly, Cleary; Kirk

Blackpool possible starting lineup:

Peacock-Farrell; Williams, Casey, Earl, Hamilton; Bowler, Honeyman, Morgan, Anderson; Bloxham, Charles

We say: Barnsley 1-2 Blackpool

Blackpool will be full of confidence after cruising past Peterborough at the weekend, and having won three of their last four away games against Barnsley, we think they will edge out the Tykes to maintain their unbeaten start to the League One season.

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