Ian Holloway must have breathed a huge sigh of relief when Blackpool managed to hang on to Charlie Adam during the transfer window.

The Scot’s absence during their Molineux mauling last weekend showed a glimpse of what life could be like without the midfielder’s services. Cracks appeared everywhere and Wolves reaped the rewards.

Blackpool would have enjoyed short-term financial gain if they had sold Adam in January, but keeping him until the end of the season could prove to be absolutely priceless.

With him in the side, they can thrash a Tottenham side riding high on confidence and buoyed by Champions League glory in the San Siro.

And despite the regular thumpings they get, Holloway’s outfit always seem to summon the confidence and belief to bounce back and pull-off the eye-catching results that might be enough to keep them up.

There have been many stalwarts in Blackpool’s side this season, but Adam is the hub of the team and gets the best out of his team-mates.

Wolves deserve a lot of credit though and they seem to be getting the luck that has eluded them for much of the season.

Their recent form has given them hope of survival. However, much like Blackpool, it doesn’t appear to take much to derail their good form and one stand out result can be quickly followed by a result to forget.

Like the title race, the relegation battle looks set to go to the wire and it could all hinge on which side has their best players available on a regular basis. As long as Adam is cleared to line up for the Tangerines, then they have as good a chance as any of avoiding the drop.