Where Blackpool and Wigan Athletic are tipped to finish in the Championship by data experts ahead of crucial six-pointer

Michael Appleton’s men make the short trip to the DW Stadium desperately hoping to avoid suffering a fourth straight defeat.

It comes after the Seasiders suffered yet another midweek setback on Tuesday night with a sobering 3-0 reversal at home to Middlesbrough.

The result leaves Blackpool in 21st place, just two points above the dropzone.

Inside that bottom three sits a Wigan side that are bottom of the form table having claimed just one point from their last six.

They’ve been especially poor at home, where they’ve only won one of their 10 games this season.

According to an updated predictions table from FiveThirtyEight, Blackpool are predicted to stay up this season, while Wigan are tipped to go straight back down.

The ‘supercomputer’ has the Seasiders finishing 20th, one place higher than their current position, but an anxious two points above the bottom three.

Appleton’s men are now predicted to finish on 53 points, seven fewer than they managed under Neil Critchley last season.

According to statisticians and data experts, Blackpool have a 28 per cent chance of being relegated back to League One and only a three per chance of making the play-offs.

Wigan, meanwhile, are forecasted to finish second bottom on 49 points, three points adrift of safety.

According to the numbers, they have a 44 per cent chance of being relegated this season and a one per cent chance of finishing in the top six.

The Tics are predicted to be joined by Huddersfield and Rotherham in the dropzone.

Following the midweek round of fixtures, data experts at FiveThirtyEight have crunched the numbers and predicted how the final Championship table will look…

FiveThirtyEight’s predicted Championship table

Team Predicted Points

Sheffield United 81

Burnley 80

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Norwich City 75

Watford 75

Millwall 69

Blackburn Rovers 69

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Luton Town 66

QPR 66

Preston North End 66

Swansea City 66

Middlesbrough 65

Coventry City 65

Birmingham City 64

West Brom 63

Stoke City 62

Sunderland 58

Reading 57

Bristol City 56

Cardiff City 55

Blackpool 53

Hull City 52

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Rotherham United 51

Wigan Athletic 49

Huddersfield Town 48