MX23RW : Wednesday, December 18 03:22:44| >> :600:193526:193526:
[monks data]
Birmingham logo
Championship
Mar 14, 2015 at 3pm UK
 
Huddersfield logo

1-1

Cotterill (10')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Lolley (27')

Preview: Birmingham City vs. Huddersfield Town

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship clash between Birmingham and Huddersfield at St Andrew's as the visitors look to end a three-game losing streak.

Huddersfield Town will be looking to take a big step towards Championship survival when they face Birmingham City at St Andrew's on Saturday.

The Terriers currently have an 11-point gap separating them from the bottom three with just 10 matches remaining, but three consecutive defeats have postponed their celebrations in recent weeks.

It would take an unlikely set of results for them to be dragged back down into danger, but Chris Powell will not be taking anything for granted and will know that three points this weekend would go a long way towards securing their status in the second tier for at least another season.

They have only won one of their last seven matches, however, while their ongoing three-game losing streak includes nine goals conceded and just one scored at the other end.

The latest of those defeats saw them fall 2-0 at home to struggling Rotherham United last weekend to put them on the verge of four straight league losses for the first time since November 2000.

Two of those have come away from home, and Huddersfield have generally struggled on their travels so far this season, failing to beat any team currently outside the relegation zone on the road since the beginning of August.

Indeed, only three teams have a worse away record than Town, although they have won on their last two visits to St Andrew's and are looking to make it three on the bounce for the first time since 1934.

Powell is hoping to have Harry Bunn available for selection, but Nahki Wells will not be fit in time having only recently returned to non-contact training.

Joe Lolley will be hoping for a start on his return to his boyhood club, while there will also be a reunion in the dugout as former teammates Powell and Gary Rowett renew acquaintances.

The duo played together at both Derby County and Charlton Athletic, but it is Rowett who currently boasts the better league position having steered Birmingham to safety during his time in charge of the club.

They are on course to end the season on a high, and victory this weekend could see them climb back up into the top half should other results also go their way.

It wasn't until the final minute of the final day that they secured their Championship status last season and, while the stakes weren't quite as high, there was more late drama last weekend as Birmingham took another step towards mathematical safety this term.

The Blues looked to be dead and buried at 2-0 down against high-flying Derby, but Paul Caddis - who got the goal to keep them in the division last term - and Clayton Donaldson scored in the 93rd and 96th minutes respectively to rescue a dramatic 2-2 draw at the iPro Stadium.

They will be hoping that the momentum has carried over from that match, which extended their recent unbeaten run to three games following back-to-back 1-0 victories over Brentford and Blackpool.

Both of those wins came at home, where Birmingham have lost just one of their last six league outings and two in 11 under Rowett - a far cry from their dismal record at St Andrew's before his arrival.

Rowett will still be without Stephen Gleeson as he serves the final game of his three-match ban, meaning that new signing Robert Tesche should continue in central midfield.

Donaldson's equaliser at the death may have earned him a recall to the starting lineup in place of Lee Novak, with no new injury concerns for Rowett. Koby Arthur, Michael Morrison, Gavin Gunning and Matt Green remain doubts.

Birmingham:

Recent form: DLLWWD

Possible starting lineup: Randolph; Caddis, Grounds, Spector, Robinson; Shinnie, Davis, Tesche, Cotterill, Gray; Donaldson

Huddersfield:

Recent form: DDWLLL

Possible starting lineup: Smithies; Smith, Hudson, Wallace, Robinson; Edgar, Coady, Butterfield; Lolley, Vaughan, Scannell

Sports Mole says: 2-0


ID:210792: cacheID:210792:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:6973:
Written by
Barney Corkhill
No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Cyrus Christie for Derby County on January 17, 2015
Read Next:
Team News: Christie returns for Derby
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Wycombe WanderersWycombe19134243222143
2Birmingham CityBirmingham18133234161842
3Wrexham20125330131741
4Huddersfield TownHuddersfield19113530181236
5Stockport CountyStockport2096532211133
6Reading199463028231
7Barnsley208662926330
8Bolton WanderersBolton189362829-130
9Lincoln CityLincoln207762625128
10Blackpool197572931-226
11Mansfield TownMansfield187472222025
12Stevenage187471517-225
13Peterborough UnitedPeterborough197393735224
14Charlton AthleticCharlton196671819-124
15Exeter CityExeter197391721-424
16Wigan AthleticWigan196581716123
17Rotherham UnitedRotherham186571920-123
18Leyton Orient196491920-122
19Northampton TownNorthampton205692129-821
20Bristol Rovers1963101728-1121
21Crawley TownCrawley1954102032-1219
22Cambridge UnitedCambridge1945102031-1117
23Burton Albion1926111630-1412
24Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury1932141939-2011


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!