Two former Premier League teams meet in the Championship next weekend, with Birmingham City hosting Nottingham Forest at St. Andrew’s. Despite 12 points separating the duo in the standings, a tight affair is expected, with the home side desperate for points.
English Championship – St. Andrew’s – Saturday 18th November – 15:00 UK Time
|
Draw Best Odd of: 23/10 at Ladbrokes |
|
Birmingham City
Nottingham ForestMatch Preview
Struggling Birmingham City take on Nottingham Forest at St. Andrew’s next weekend, with the home side looking to earn what would be just their fourth win of the campaign to date. Forest are undoubtedly the form side between the two however, with Mark Warburton’s men sitting just two points off a playoff place in the table. Birmingham are a difficult side to beat in front of their home fans however, making this an intriguing tie. For those interested in wagering on this match, be sure to check out our top betting tip below. However, let’s first take a closer look at the two teams, starting with the home side.
Birmingham City Team News & Form
Just one win in their last five Championship matches has left Birmingham in the relegation zone, with a narrow defeat against Barnsley last time around leaving Steve Cotterill’s men in desperate need of three points. The Blues showed promise in their recent derby clash with rivals Aston Villa, however a lack of goals is a real worry for Birmingham. Just eight goals all season in the league has intensified the pressure on the likes of Sam Gallagher and Jota in attack, with the lack of a recognised goalscorer something in which Cotterill will undoubtedly look to address in the January transfer window.
Nottingham Forest Team News & Form
Three wins from their last five, including their recent 4-0 success over Queens Park Rangers, leave Forest in the upper half of the table, within touching distance of a place in the playoffs. Warburton will be hoping that his side can keep up their good run of form at St. Andrew’s next weekend, with the likes of Kieran Dowell, Tyler Walker and Barrie McKay having all impressed over recent weeks. Forest have scored 25 goals from their 16 matches so far, with their array of attacking options set to keep Blues boss Cotterill up at night ahead of the clash. However, having conceded 26 goals in the same number of matches, there is certainly hope for the home side.
Head to Head
The two teams have met 16 twice in the past, with Birmingham City having earned six wins from such encounters, along with six draws. The last encounter between the duo came back in January this year, when a goalless draw was played out at St. Andrew’s.
Betting Odds and Predictions
Despite their standing in the table and recent home form, it is Birmingham City who are the narrow favourites for victory with the majority of online bookmakers. The home side can be backed at best odds of 17/11 with Ladbrokes, while a win for the away team is available at 17/11 with the same bookmaker.
Top Betting Tip
However, our top betting tip for the match is to bet on there being over 2.5 goals during the match, which can be backed at best odds of 4/6 with Ladbrokes.