Birmingham City return to home soil on Saturday afternoon as they take on play-off chasers Luton Town in the Sky Bet Championship. Having suffered eight defeats in their last 10 league matches, Blues will be desperate to put right their wrongs in front of a home crowd but it won’t be easy.
Luton are without a victory in their last three matches but they remain in the top six and are very solid defensively. Only Burnley (28) and Sheffield United (30) have conceded fewer than The Hatters, who have let in 32 goals in 32 games. Birmingham’s figure, meanwhile, stands at 45.
John Eustace has had some almighty battles to contend with but the one most pressing at the moment - on the field at least - is inconsistency. His team just cannot seem to put together a string of positive results and that has been the case ever since the World Cup break.
Before that, Blues were in top form and were - just like Luton - one of the best defensive sides in the division. Eustace will be hoping his team can rediscover their confidence of old and to do so we think he will opt for a 4-1-2-1-2, just like he did in the 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion.
With that in mind, here is the starting XI we reckon Birmingham will go with on Saturday.
9. CM: Juninho Bacuna
Typically the midfielder with the most energy, we believe Bacuna could be the man to charge forward and create opportunities. | Getty Images
10. CAM: Hannibal Mejbri
Albeit consistent in the position, Hannibal is capable of being a real threat at the top of a midfield diamond. | Getty Images
11. ST: Scott Hogan
Struggling for form but is still Blues’ top scorer and works well in the channels. | Getty Images
12. ST: Lukas Jutkiewicz
Been a real threat in the air of late – a bit of an unsung hero for his involvements. | Getty Images