Birmingham City Vs Blackburn Rovers
Birmingham City Vs Blackburn Rovers Saturday 2nd January 2021 – 15:00 (kick-off)
English Championship
Pick: Both Teams to Score
Odds: 9/10
Bookmaker: BetVictor
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 30th December 2020)
Preview: Three points must feel like a must after both these teams endured miserable festive periods. Can Birmingham City register their first league win at St Andrew’s since October or will Blackburn Rovers reignite their pursuit of the Championship play-offs by quashing their four-game winless away run?
English Championship Betting at Bet365
Table of Contents
Birmingham – Home form serious cause for concern?
Bearing in mind that before Tuesday night’s contest at St Andrew’s, Derby County were the lowest scorers in England’s second tier and occupied a place in the relegation zone, for Birmingham (W5 D8 L9) to then lose 4-0 shows how chastening an evening it was for manager Aitor Karanka. The Spaniard was quick to lament an error-strewn display from his side, who remain seven points clear of trouble in 18th.
The Blues are enduring a wretched spell, taking one of the last 15 points available to them since recording back-to-back away victories against Bristol City and Reading. In the meantime, Karanka’s men have lost narrowly to Watford and Cardiff, but also conceded four in defeat at home to both Middlesbrough and now Derby. A goalless draw away to goal-shy Nottingham Forest the sole sum of their recent efforts.
A particular gripe for supporters will be results here at St Andrew’s. The Blues are on a run of four straight home defeats and are without a win in seven, losing six, since edging past Huddersfield in late October. Only Tuesday’s conquerors Derby, meanwhile, possess a worse home record this season (W2 D2 L7). Birmingham shipping more goals – 19 in 11 home games, 1.73 per game – than anyone in the division.
Blackburn – Rovers can revive play-off push?
After going the entirety of November without losing, collecting 11 of the 15 points that were available to them, the month of December has been altogether less kind on the Lancashire outfit. Since beating Millwall 2-1 at Ewood Park on 2 December, Blackburn (W8 D5 L9) have won just once in seven attempts, seeing their promotion hopes, along with their position in the table, consequently slip.
Tuesday night’s 2-1 loss away to Huddersfield Town the latest setback during a miserable festive period for Tony Mowbray’s side. That a result which extends their winless streak in the league to three matches, with their only point from the last nine on offer coming in a 1-1 draw at home to struggling Sheffield Wednesday. It also means they are without a clean sheet in nine Championship games.
Blackburn’s recent slump has certainly been more keenly felt on the road. Whereas it is one defeat in seven at Ewood Park, away from home it is no win from the last four – since thrashing Preston 3-0 at Deepdale in November – having lost each of the last three against Bristol City (1-0), Stoke (1-0) and Huddersfield (2-1). Meanwhile, their once fluid attack now has one away goal in more than four hours.
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Birmingham City Vs Blackburn Rovers Betting Advice
Two hopelessly out of form sides meet at St Andrews. The hosts, Birmingham, have lost four of their last five matches (D1 L4), last winning inside their own stadium at the end of October. Aitor Karanka’s men have since lost six of the past seven encounters here, including all of the last four. Meanwhile, Tuesday’s 4-0 defeat to Derby was the second successive home game in which they conceded four in defeat (also vs Boro).
Birmingham City Vs Blackburn Rovers – Key Facts:
- Whether it is their current run of five Championship fixtures without a win (D1 L4) or seven game barren streak in home games (D1 L6), things are bleak for Birmingham.
- After going the entirety of November without losing (W3 D2), Blackburn went and lost five of their seven league games in December (W1 D1 L5).
- Birmingham are unbeaten at St Andrews’s versus Blackburn in six such meetings, winning each of the last two, since a 4-2 success for the visitors at this level in 2014.
Blackburn will be relieved to see the back of 2020, with their final seven fixtures garnering just two wins. Neither of which were earned away from home where they have now lost each of their last three Championship fixtures. Rovers are also nine games without a clean sheet. Meanwhile, Birmingham have conceded in nine of their 11 contests at St Andrew’s, where two of the past three competitive meetings between the clubs seen both teams find the back of the net.
Best Betting Odds – Birmingham City Vs Blackburn Rovers
Birmingham City – 12/5 (Betfair)
Draw – 12/5 (Bet365)
Blackburn Rovers – 11/10 (PaddyPower)
