There is one match in the Sky Bet Championship on Tuesday evening as Birmingham City and Middlesbrough take each other on at St Andrews in a match which was postponed earlier in the campaign.
Both these teams are still playing for something this season. Birmingham are just a point above the drop zone while Middlesbrough just eight away from the play-offs so this should be a very competitive match. There is no UK TV coverage of this one.
Birmingham City
If you had said at the time that John Eustace was relieved of his duties with Birmingham City sat in sixth place in the Championship table that a few months later in the same season they would be one spot and one point above the relegation zone you probably wouldn’t have believed what you was saying. Clearly the decisions made this term have been terrible and the Blues are going to need to be fortunate to escape this season and be able to turn things around.
Birmingham did look like they were turning a corner with three wins in five matches under Tony Mowbray but once he left the post for a medical issue they have gone four without a win and you really do have to start being concerned for the Blues. The big problem that they have is that they can’t seem to stop the flow of goals in their own net, and while they have goals in them, they are needing to see three or more to get a win which isn’t helpful.
Middlesbrough
This hasn’t been the campaign that Middlesbrough would have wanted in the Championship this term either. Having come with a wet sail to reach the play-offs last season, only to lose out in the semi-final, the expectation was to kick on and get promotion but their big problem was the amount of loan signings they had who they were unable to keep, while Chuba Akpom departed shortly into the campaign and they had to spend the first few months rebuilding the side.
The positive for Middlesbrough is that Michael Carrick knows how to get momentum into his side and they could yet fly home and snatch a play-off spot but they are going to need some consistency, the kind that they showed in the Carabao Cup this term. They go to the midlands having won their last two matches and if they can make it three here they would be within striking distance heading into the home straight after the international break.
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Team News
Birmingham City are going to be without Dion Sanderson who completes his suspension in this game. Krystian Bielik is expected to miss out with a groin injury so the Blues could be without their first-choice centre-backs here.
Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick has intimated that he is having to manage Isaiah Jones back into the side after the flying winger has been an unused substitute in the previous two matches. He could name an unchanged side for this encounter.
Betting
It can’t be a surprise that Birmingham City haven’t won a match since Tony Mowbray departed the scene due to his health and I’m not convinced that anything gets better when Middlesbrough are the visitors to the second city. Birmingham are without a win in four and while not beating Ipswich, Southampton and Hull City can be forgiven, the loss to Millwall at the weekend is a little more of a concern and suggests they are back to struggling.
Middlesbrough look to be coming to the boil nicely and they have experience of coming good at this stage of the season. They have a few players out but they have been out for a while and so they are able to work with a streamlined squad which can sometimes be a help. You can get a shade under 4/5 on Middlesbrough to win this without the draw in play and they just look the more progressive side to me. They have won the last four meetings between these two and I think if there is a winner it will be them making it five on the spin.
Tips
Back Middlesbrough (0AH) to beat Birmingham City for a 3/10 stake at 1.79 with William Hill
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