This week’s Monday Night Football comes from the Sky Bet Championship as Birmingham City hosts Wolverhampton Wanderers in a Midlands derby.
Team News
Former Wolves midfielder, David Davis could be recalled to face his former side here.
Davis’ fellow midfielders, Stephen Gleeson and Craig Gardner are also available for this match.
Loan signing, Carl Jenkinson is back in training, having spent four months out with a dislocated shoulder.
Wolves are missing record signing, Ruben Neves through suspension after he picked up a fifth yellow last weekend.
Form
Birmingham won their last home game at St Andrews but have taken just four points from their last four games.
Wolves however are unbeaten across that same period, scoring 13 goals and conceding two.
Stat Attack
- Birmingham have already won twice this season against whoever was top at start of those matches (2-1 against Bristol City, 1-0 vs Cardiff City).
- Steve Cotterill’s side have scored just ten goals from 19 league games whilst Wolves are the league’s top scoring club with 40 goals so far this season.
- Wolves have won three of last four meetings here but are still looking for three consecutive wins at St Andrews for first time in over 50 years.
- Five of the last six meetings at St Andrews has seen Wolves score at least once. The only goalless game came in FA Cup third round tie at start of January 2012.
Prediction
This should be a testing game for Wolves because they average 11.11 away shots but the Brummies have an home average of 12 shots per game.
One positive is that Wolves are clinical in turning their shots on target and into goals than Birmingham.
For that reason, a draw would seem likely but Birmingham’s winning record against teams who are top at start of meeting could come into play.
Those wins however came against teams with the ending – ‘City’ so am predicting that run to end here.
Prediction: Birmingham City 1-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Result: Birmingham City 0-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
*The graphics can be found at Footstats.co.uk