Birmingham City predicted XI vs Barnsley as double change made for key promotion showdown

Runaway League One leaders Birmingham City have the Championship firmly in their sights as they prepare to take on Barnsley side in a weekend which could take them to the brink of securing promotion back to the second tier.

The Blues sit at the summit, 11 points clear of second placed Wrexham, 14 points clear of third placed Wycombe - and just eight points away from guaranteeing their status as a Championship team with eight matches still to play. They are yet to taste defeat at St Andrew’s this season and are aiming to keep that imperious home record going this weekend against a Tykes side that have been nowhere near the standards expected of them in pre-season in 11th position.

Birmingham will be keen to treat their fans to even more joy this weekend against a South Yorkshire outfit that hasn’t won any of their last six League One matches. The match comes just a week before the team’s trip to Wembley to take on Peterborough in the EFL Trophy final with a precursor to that fixture also taking place at the London Stadium on Tuesday evening.

With fixtures coming thick and fast, Chris Davies must decide whether to stick with the team that beat Bristol Rovers last time out or make some key alterations. With that in mind, we take a look at the predicted Birmingham line-up for this weekend’s contest with Barnsley.

Goalkeeper and defence

GK: Ryan Allsop: The 30-year-old has enjoyed a solid campaign this term and is aiming to get his 17th clean sheet of the season this weekend.

RB: Ethan Laird: Another consistent performer with three goals and three assists, Laird has been impressive at both ends of the field in a stellar campaign for the Blues.

CB: Christoph Klarer: The Austrian has rarely missed a game this season and is a consistent performer in a strong backline. A shrewd summer signing.

CB: Ben Davies: Another solid defender, who has been excellent since his loan move from Rangers, he’s likely to retain his place in the line-up.

LB: Alex Cochrane: The 24-year-old has been a strong addition since his move from Hearts and has made the left-back spot his own this season.

Midfield and attack

CM: Tomoki Iwata: The Japanese footballer is a solid performer at the heart of midfield with the ability to chip in with goals. He’s scored five in the league this season and also netted a screamer in an FA Cup defeat to Newcastle.

CM: Paik Seung-ho: The South Korean international has enjoyed a much improved second season after getting little first team football in the Championship last term.

CM: Kieran Dowell: A player with bags of Championship experience. Dowell has looked a class above in the third-tier after joining in January in a loan deal from Rangers.

ST: Jay Stansfield: Jay Stansfield has been a revelation for the Blues and remains firmly in contention for the Golden Boot after scoring 17 times in 29 outings.

ST: Keshi Anderson: He’s shown signs of improvement after a subdued first season and will hope to add to his tally of six goals from 29 appearances.

ST: Alfie May: The former Doncaster Rovers front-man has bags of pace and excellent work rate which has made him a force to be reckoned with this season.

Read More: The four big Birmingham City transfer deals already in the pipeline - including swoop for £2m Rangers star