Birmingham City Vs Leeds United
Sunday 29th December 2019 – 15:00 Kick-Off
English Championship
Pick: Leeds United to WIN
Odds: 4/6
Bookmaker: MoPlay
EFL Championship Betting at 22Bet
(All betting odds displayed were correct at the time of writing: 27th December 2019 at 15:55)
Preview: The promotion bid of Leeds United has stalled in the past couple weeks after no win from any of their previous three Championship matches. Can they get back on track at St. Andrews, where Birmingham City will be on hosting duties but are suffering from a bout of poor form themselves?
Birmingham City Vs Leeds United Live Stats & Betting Odds
Birmingham City Preview – Blues need to defy recent slump?
Earlier in the month Birmingham City (16th – W8 D5 L11, GF25 GA35) had seriously threatened to inflict what would have been just a second league defeat of the season on Championship leaders West Brom. That was also at St Andrews. The Blues would twice hold a slender lead only to surrender their advantage on both occasions, eventually succumbing to a 3-2 defeat that was incredibly harsh on Pep Clotet’s men having bossed the xG battle: BIR 2.64 – 1.53 WBA.
Pushing a team close as good as West Brom, who are on course to secure automatic promotion back to the Premier League, should inspire belief that something similar can be achieved versus the side three points worse off in second. Against an opponent that only triumphed in the reverse meeting by a 1-0 scoreline at Elland Road. However, Birmingham are hopelessly out of form at present, with Thursday’s 1-1 draw away to Blackburn halting a three-match losing sequence.
A 3-2 win at Reading at the very beginning of December aside, Clotet’s men have endured a wretched ten-game period comprising of five defeats (W1 D4 L5). Three of which coming at St Andrews, where they may have claimed five of their eight wins thus far but last won there back in late October – a narrow success against relegation occupants Luton Town (2-1). Four subsequent home encounters with Fulham (0-1), Millwall (1-1), QPR (0-2) and West Brom (2-3) returned one out of a possible twelve points and a paltry three goals scored.
Leeds United Preview – Dip in form merely temporary?
Despite performances remaining to a high standard throughout the campaign, the prospect of a fifth Championship defeat of the season occurring was very real on Boxing Day. Falling behind midway through the opening half of their contest with promotion-chasing Preston, Leeds (2nd – W14 D6 L4, GF37 GA16) would rely on a Stuart Dallas goal scored one minute from the end to salvage a 1-1 draw at Elland Road – the very least they deserved based on chances created: xG LEE 1.51 – 0.84 PRE.
According to Infogol, no team possess a better overall process in the second tier. Up until fairly recently this was clearly in evidence, racking up seven consecutive victories – five without conceding – between the beginning of November and the early throes of December. Then the wheels well and truly came off, starting with Cardiff at home when remarkably relinquishing a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3. Since then, Fulham have beaten them 2-1 at Craven Cottage and Preston held them to a score-draw at Elland Road.
That is three games without registering maximum points, becoming the club’s longest barren patch of the season. Leeds were superior in all three contests, though, continually creating a host of chances in almost every single fixture. And those were some tricky fixtures, highlighting how strong they continue to be under Marcelo Bielsa. Therefore a return to winning ways really should be a case of sooner rather than later. Meanwhile, only leaders West Brom boast better away figures than The Whites (W7 D2 L3).
Birmingham City Vs Leeds United – Key Facts:
- Last time out saw Birmingham end a run of three successive league defeats by drawing 1-1 away to Blackburn – the Blues have one win from their previous ten matches (W1 D4 L5).
- A late equaliser spared Leeds from defeat at home to Preston on Boxing Day whilst also stretching their current winless run to three matches (D2 L1).
- Four of the past five meetings finished with only one team scoring, with Birmingham winning the past two home encounters 1-0.
Betting Summary
Neither arrive in any meaningful form. Birmingham (9/2 Betway) would at least prevent a fourth straight defeat last time out but have still mustered one win from the last ten (W1 D4 L5), whereas Leeds (4/6 MoPlay) are enduring their longest streak without winning all season (3 – D2 L1) but are still creating enough chances in games to hint at better things to come. The latter are also second in the table for good reason, a full eight points clear of the team in third.
The table is a fair reflection of where these two clubs are at present, with their respective teams separated by a gulf of nineteen points. Whether this is borne out on the St Andrews pitch on Sunday remains to be seen, however, Birmingham have shown nothing of late to suggest Leeds will be unduly troubled. The latter rarely do things the easy way, though, often guilty of wasting a host of chances in games. Leeds & Under 2.5 Goals is available at 11/4 with Betway.
