London: Blackpool has spent much of its first season in the Premier League surprising neutrals and opponents with the quality of its play and resilience of its inexpensive team. But if they want to show it to Manchester United, they will have to wait until the frozen pitch at Bloomfield Road, following heavy snowfall, gets back to normal.
Blackpool's home match against Premier League leader Manchester United on Saturday has thus been postponed.
The game was called off on Friday following an inspection of the playing surface at Bloomfield Road by match referee Peter Walton.
Blackpool says Walton "expressed concern that the severely affected areas of the playing surface would not thaw sufficiently for the game to be completed."
Bloomfield Road doesn't have under-soil heating and stadium staff had been using hot-air blowers to try to thaw the pitch.
While the Blues host Everton the same day, United will have to wait for their game at Bloomfield Road having overtaken Chelsea at the top of the table with last weekend's 7-1 win over Blackburn.
Chelsea's attempt to recover from the loss of a lead that stood at five points four weeks ago should get a boost with the return of captain John Terry from a sciatic nerve problem. The Blues took only one point from the three league matches he missed, with their previously tough defence suddenly vulnerable.
Michael Essien will return from a three-match suspension in midfield but Frank Lampard is still not ready to return from hernia surgery and further hamstring and adductor injuries sustained while recuperating.
Also on Saturday, Arsenal hosts London rival Fulham, while Tottenham takes a four-match winning streak to Birmingham, where it has won just once in six visits.
Blackburn hosts Wolverhampton Wanderers, Manchester City hosts Bolton and Stoke is at Wigan.
West Ham is at Sunderland on Sunday, when West Bromwich Albion hosts Newcastle. Liverpool hosts Aston Villa on Monday.
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