Birmingham v Cardiff Betting Preview – Championship 13th October 7.45pm
Birmingham are still struggling at the wrong end of the table. They suffered a heavy loss before the international break and are not carrying the kind of form that suggests that they are going to be in for a comfortable time anytime soon. They welcome table-topping Cardiff on Friday night as the action in the Championship resumes and this is a good chance for the Bluebirds to open up four point lead over second-placed Wolves ahead of the weekend. Will they be able to exploit the obvious weaknesses that the Blues have shown this season?
Birmingham v Cardiff Betting Tips
The Blues have had a season to forget so far in the second tier as they have claimed just the two wins in the league this season and just one of them in their last nine. Steve Cotterill, who has come in to rescue them from their dire situation has quite a big task on his hands. Especially after seeing them get hammered 6-1 by Hull just before the international break. As a positive though both wins that they have recorded this season have been at St Andrew’s. On home soil in league duty, the Blues have posted a W2 D1 L2 record and only in one of those games have they scored more than one goal. Birmingham have failed to hit the back of the net in six of their eleven league matches this season. Under 2.5 goals at William Hill is trading at a price of 3/4 and you can have a look at both teams not to score in the match for even money. Birmingham’s top scorer this season is Jacques Maghoma with just the two. Isaac Vassell and Lukas Jutkiewicz are both at 9/4 with William Hill in the anytime goalscorer market.
The two league meetings between Birmingham and Cardiff last season both ended in drawn matches and each of the last three between them in the Championship have been drawn as well. Four of the last six have only produced draws. The 1-1 correct score at bet365 is a price of 5/1 with a 1-0 away win for Cardiff right around the mark at 13/2. Cardiff have lost just one of their last eleven games against Birmingham in the Championship with a W4 D6 L1 record in that sequence. Cardiff go into the game a point clear at the top of the Championship over Wolves so can get pressure on them by winning this one. Cardiff’s record this season in the league reads W7 D3 L1 and their only loss happened at Preston. The Bluebirds have posted a W3 D1 L1 record away from home and do have only the one clean sheet on the road. Cardiff have only been trailing once at half time away from home this season and have been level in three of their five road games. A Draw/Cardiff half time/full time bet is a decent 9/2 option and in the anytime goalscorer market, Kenneth Zohore is the 13/10 outright favourite.
Birmingham v Cardiff Betting Odds
Cardiff 23/20, Birmingham 12/5, Draw 23/10
Birmingham v Cardiff Predictions
Cardiff to win: The Bluebirds should be fancied to take the victory in this one as they have been enjoying a profitable season. They have done well away from home to suggest that they can collect the three points on offer in this one, with the Blues still looking highly vulnerable and weak at the back.
