Birmingham City are in action for the penultimate time this season as they take on Huddersfield Town away in a huge Championship relegation battle six-pointer.
Blues head into the final two matches without control of their fate following last weekend’s results. A thoroughly disappointing 0-0 draw at Rotherham United gave direct rivals an open-goal opportunity and Sheffield Wednesday took it emphatically, beating Blackburn Rovers 3-1 to move out of the drop zone.
Wednesday, in 21st, are on 47 points while Birmingham are on 46 but with a 13 superior goal difference. Huddersfield, meanwhile, know only a victory will realistically be enough this weekend as they are lagging behind on 44 points. The Terriers’ goal difference is 15 inferior to that of Blues and two worse than Wednesday’s.
Gary Rowett came in with eight games to go in an effort to steady the ship and avoid any final-day drama. As it’s turned out, the manager has managed two wins and one win in six fixtures to date, totting up seven points out of 18. That’s not an awful return but you’ve got to feel three points is the bare minimum this weekend.
Including the axing of an uninspiring attacker and the addition of a player who taunted the same opposition in October, here’s the Birmingham lineup we predict will take on Huddersfield.
9. RW: Koji Miyoshi
Miyoshi should replace Oliver Burke, hands down. The latter has been uninspiring since signing and fans were delighted when he was subbed at Rotherham. | Getty Images
10. LW: Siriki Dembele
Dembele was the hero for Birmingham as he scored twice in the reverse fixture back in October. That game finished 4-1, with John Eustace in charge at the time. | Getty Images
11. ST: Jay Stansfield
Stansfield has been an ultra-impressive loan addition this term. Just imagine where Blues would be without him! | Getty Images