MY ACCOUNT
– Birmingham are 17th but only eight points off top six
– Cardiff are 21st, just a point clear of relegation zone
– Recommended bet: Birmingham to win
After Birmingham claimed an impressive 2-0 derby win over West Brom on Friday, John Eustace’s side can maintain their improved form with another home victory over struggling Cardiff on Tuesday.
The Blues went into their local showdown with the Baggies having lost four home games on the trot in all competitions, but they shrugged off their poor St Andrew’s form to claim a deserved success.
If anything, Friday’s somewhat unexpected win once again underlined the unpredictable nature of the fiercely-competitive Championship and it is why Birmingham will be wary of a completely out-of-form Cardiff this week.
However, this should be a home success as Eustace’s side seek three wins on the spin to give the West Midlands outfit hope of challenging for a play-off spot in the remainder of the season.
Team news
Birmingham trio Troy Deeney, Harlee Dean and George Hall all returned to action after injury as second-half substitutes against West Brom and now all three are in contention to start against Cardiff.
Meanwhile, Eustace is hoping midfielder Reda Khadra will shake off his hamstring strain to be fit.
Cardiff full-back Jamilu Collins remains out with his cruciate ligament injury, although he is making progress in his recovery, while midfielder Ebou Adams is still struggling with a leg injury and also remains absent for the visitors.
Andy Rinomhota, Ryan Wintle and Kion Etete all came off the bench in the 3-1 defeat at Middlesbrough on Saturday and are pushing for inclusion from the start as Sabri Lamouchi ponders changes to try and revive the Bluebirds.
The stats
Cardiff have lost their last four Championship games, scoring just one goal in that run.
The Bluebirds have had the better of the recent meetings between the two sides, though, winning five of the last eight clashes, while there have been three draws during that period.
Birmingham’s last win over the Welsh side came via a 1-0 home success in October 2017.
Prediction
The form book points towards a home win and even though Birmingham have overall been inconsistent this season under Eustace, Cardiff’s dire run of form cannot be ignored.
The Welsh side appear to be heading for a relegation scrap between now and the end of the season and the fact they have only scored two goals in their last eight league games tells you all you need to know about how badly they are struggling in front of goal.
Birmingham, in contrast, have averaged exactly two goals per game across their last five Championship outings and, on the back of that impressive win over West Brom, will be confident of picking up another three points at home.
