Blackpool and West Ham have earned the chance to fight for the straight return to the Premier League after both clubs were relegated from the top flight last season.

Online bookmakers see the Hammers as favourites for the win following their 5-0 aggregate win over Cardiff City, but we all know current form rarely plays a part in these kinds of games.

Blackpool largely impressed in their first ever season in the elite division, but the Tangerines were punished for some shocking displays in the second part of the season and ended up returning to the Championship.

Nobody believed Ian Holloway’s side would manage to regroup and enter another race for promotion places, but once again the Bloomfield Road outfit defied the odds and qualified for promotion play-off.

After eliminating Birmingham, another side that had been relegated from EPL last season, they are now one step away from the Premier League and Sportingbet has them at 2.40 (7/5) to get promoted.

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway has absolutely no selection problems and is set to field his strongest line-up.

Probable starting line-up (4-3-3): Gilks – Eardley, Baptiste, Evatt, Crainey – Ferguson, Dobbie, Martinez – Ince, Taylor-Fletcher, Phillips.

West Ham were seen as the main contenders for promotion after they had kept almost the entire squad together last summer, but the Hammers fell short of automatic promotion places.

Sam Allardyce’s side finished the regular season just three points behind champions Reading, but they, nonetheless, had to enter the promotion play-offs.

The Hammers did brilliantly to reach the play-off final, after recording a 5-0 aggregate win over Cardiff City, but there are no doubts they will be under tremendous pressure in the final.

William Hill sees West Ham as 2.00 (1/1) favourites to win in regular time, but beating hard-working Blackpool side will be no easy task.

The Hammers have been handed a major boost as key midfielder Jack Collison recovered from a dislocated shoulder, meaning that once again Sam Allardyce has fully fit squad to choose from.

Probable starting line-up (4-4-2): Green – Demel, Reid, Tomkins, Taylor – O’Neil, Nolan, Noble, Collison – Vaz Te, Cole.