Birmingham vs West Brom predictions: Blues set to deny in-form Baggies
&w=707&quality=100)
- Birmingham are unbeaten in four of their last five meetings with West Brom
- No team has drawn more Championship away games than West Brom this term
- Recommended bet: Score draw
West Midlands rivals Birmingham City and West Brom both go into this Friday night clash in better shape than either set of supporters might have expected.
Albion have forced their way into the top-six picture thanks to a midweek victory over Sheffield Wednesday that arrived on the back of Saturday’s emphatic 4-0 win at high-flying Preston North End.
And Blues fans are delighted with a haul of 15 points from ten league games, with their usual relegation fears beginning to ease after Tuesday’s impressive 4-1 defeat of Huddersfield Town.
A positive result against a local rival would cap a fine week for both teams.
Team news
Birmingham winger Keshi Anderson has been ruled out for two months with a hamstring injury and left-back Lee Buchanan misses out with an ankle issue.
Full-back Ethan Laird and midfield trio Tyler Roberts, George Hall and Alfie Chang all remain sidelined.
However, striker Siriki Dembele impressed upon his return from a seven-match absence in midweek, scoring twice against the Terriers.
West Brom centre-back Semi Ajayi is a slight doubt with an ankle injury.
Baggies strikers Josh Maja (ankle) and Daryl Dike (Achilles) are not expected back until November and the New Year respectively, while winger Adam Reach is out until December with a quad tear.
Defender Martin Kelly remains unavailable.
The stats
Birmingham have not finished above West Brom in any of the past 13 seasons, but they do have a decent record in recent home meetings with them, winning two and drawing one of the last four.
The Blues beat West Brom home and away last season.
Birmingham’s league record with or without striker Dembele is starkly different – with him they have won three and lost none of four matches, without him they have lost three and won only one of six.
West Brom’s victory at Preston last weekend was their first league win away from home all season, losing one and drawing three of the previous four.
&w=707&quality=100)
Prediction
Birmingham manager John Eustace praised his team’s performances during a recent five-match winless run and blamed the results on a lack of cutting edge. He may have a point.
The Blues generally matched or bettered their opponents’ expected goals tallies throughout that run, but were not putting chances away, scoring just two goals in that five-match stretch.
Tuesday’s return of key man Dembele saw that change, with Blues going from toothless to tearing Huddersfield apart in a 4-1 win, so it will be worth keeping an eye on Dembele and his impact for Birmingham.
West Brom are solid, keeping four clean sheets in their last five league games, and are unbeaten in five, so will fancy their chances of a result at St Andrew’s.
However, a Birmingham side buoyed by the return of Dembele and roared on by the derby atmosphere will expect to breach the visitors’ defence on at least one occasion.
Win up to £250,000 with LiveScore 6!
Win up to £250,000 with our free-to-play game, LiveScore 6!
&w=260&quality=100)
