2018-19 Sky Bet Championship: Week 39 – Friday

West Bromwich Albion kicks off the Sky Bet Championship run-in with a fiery Midlands derby against Birmingham City at The Hawthorns. 

Victory for West Brom would move them to within four points of automatic promotion, whilst Birmingham’s play-off hopes are now over after a nine point deduction sees them now five points above the drop. 

 

Team news

Embed from Getty Images

West Bromwich Albion has a near full squad available after several players returned safely from international duty. 

Matt Phillips is however a slight doubt with an unspecified injury and is unlikely to be risked here. 

Maxime Colin is available for Birmingham after recovering from a tight hamstring. 

Marc Roberts and Charlie Lakin are also available after sitting out the Brummies’ last outing with unspecified injuries. 

 

Form 

West Brom enter this game with just two defeats from their last nine league games, with their last five goals all coming from five different goal scorers. 

At home, the Baggies have drawn three of their last five, winning and losing one apiece from the other two with Jay Rodriguez scoring in four of those games. 

Birmingham meanwhile have lost their last four matches without scoring but a pattern of; 0-2, 0-1, 0-2, 0-1. 

 

Stat Attack

• West Brom are unbeaten in six of their last seven meetings with Birmingham City (W3, D3, L1). 
• The Baggies have lost just one of eight Midlands derbies so far this season (W3, D4, L1). 
• Birmingham’s four match winless run is their worst since February-March 2018, when they lost seven consecutive league matches but scored in two of last three matches in that sequence of which both came away from St Andrews. 

 

Prediction

Birmingham really need to react now if they aren’t to be drawn into a relegation scrap,  following their nine point deduction. 

West Brom however have a habit of being inconsistent but this international break has probably come at the right time for caretaker manager, James Shan to reset his squad and get them back to their attacking best. 

If he has done that, I can see a comfortable home win here against a Birmingham side who seem to have turned off. 

Prediction: West Bromwich Albion 2-0 Birmingham City