Week three of the 2018-19 Sky Bet Championship season kicks off with Swansea City visiting their ex manager, Garry Monk and his Birmingham City at St Andrews.
Team news
Birmingham City are currently low on midfield options with Craig Gardner suspended after seeing red at Middlesbrough on Saturday.
David Davis is out with ankle injury whilst Cheikh Ndoye has been loaned out to Ligue One’s Angers.
Swansea could hand Erwin Mulder his first start in goal, having replaced the injured Kristoffer Nordfeldt against Preston North End.
Form
Birmingham have avoided defeat in just one of their three opening games of the new season, drawing 2-2 at home to Norwich City on opening weekend before losing to Boro and suffering a midweek Carabao Cup exit at Reading’s hands.
Swansea City meanwhile had a bye in Carabao Cup but have won their two Championship games so far, against Sheffield United and Preston.
Stat Attack
- Birmingham City are unbeaten in three of last five meetings (W2, D1, L2).
- Since Second World War, Swansea have claimed just two league wins at Birmingham City with both coming in month of March.
- Garry Monk has lost just two of his last 11 home matches as a manager.
Prediction
Based on form and squad, you would have to fancy Swansea but the fact that they haven’t won at Birmingham outside of March is a worry.
Although many would take a draw, I am going to go against the odds here and predict an away win.
Prediction: Birmingham City 0-2 Swansea City