Birmingham City’s 2022/23 Championship campaign gets underway on Saturday with a trip to Luton Town.
Blues hammered the Hatters 5-0 at Kenilworth Road last season before completing the double with a 3-0 win at St Andrew’s last February.
The realists among the fan base aren’t expecting lightning to strike twice in this one but stranger things have happened in football.
Saturday will mark the first time that John Eustace takes charge of Birmingham in a competitive fixture and whilt pre-season always gives you a taster, this weekend will provide the main event of what to expect from a Eustace side this campaign.
The players seem fired up for it with many including captain Troy Deeney, eager to prove a lot of the outside chatter wrong.
It may just be match day one but it’s a big game and a positive result could go along way to settling a few nerves for what is going to be a tough season ahead.
Here’s the line-up in full that we believe Eustace may go with to get the job done in Bedfordshire.
The realists among the fan base aren’t expecting lightning to strike twice in this one but stranger things have happened in football.
5. CB - Marc Roberts
Roberts will add some experience to a very youthful central defensive group.
6. LWB - Przemyslaw Placheta
With a natural left-back/wing-back still not signed, Placheta is probably the strongest option to play there.
7. CM - Jordan James
Young JJ looks to have played his way into a starting berth, especially with Gary Gardner confirmed out through injury.
8. CM - Ryan Woods
With Sunjic out the door and Gardner injured, Woods is pretty much guaranteed a start in the middle. Photo: Alex Morton