Birmingham v Leeds Betting Preview – Championship 3rd March 7.45pm
Leeds hit a mini slump at the start of the month in the Championship, threatening their play off run. However, they have responded well and look firmly back on track and they landed an important home win over play-off hopefuls Sheffield Wednesday on the weekend as well. So they are comfortably in the top six as it stands and have the chance to bank some more points as they take on Birmingham, who haven’t been having the greatest of seasons. The Blues have lost four of their last six league games but managed to take a derby win against Wolves on the weekend to boost their confidence a bit. Can they stop a very good Leeds side though on Friday night?
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Birmingham v Leeds Betting Tips
It has been far from an easy ride for Gianfranco Zola in his tenure as Birmingham boss. It took him a frustratingly long time to land his first league win with the club, but that’s two on the board now for him after a relieving win over Wolves on the weekend. Birmingham though have won only two of their last sixteen Championship fixtures now in a W2 D3 L11 record which is pretty shocking. Their home form this season in the second tier reads W7 D4 L6 but that doesn’t bear any reflection on their current form at all. Since the start of December last year when things started going really wrong for them, they have gone just W2 D1 L5 on home soil in their last eight there. In their last home game in the league they were hammered 4-1 by the struggling QPR, so poor returns from them at St Andrews. Birmingham did manage to take a 2-1 win at Elland Road earlier in the season and the Blues have lost just one of their last five games against the Whites now in a W2 D2 L1 record, so not bad. At home though they have failed to win any of their last three against Leeds in a D1 L2 record including the corresponding home fixture from last season.
However, it was Leeds who came out on top 2-1 in the clash at St Andrews last season and you have a Leeds 2-1 correct score option at Bet365 is trading at a price of 8/1. The 1-1 correct score is shortest priced in the market at 5/1. You aren’t looking at a particularly prolific Birmingham side, which has been part of their struggles this season, but still it may be worth backing both teams to score in this on at a price of 5/6 as both teams have netted in all but one of the last six league meetings between the two clubs. So you have a decent betting trend running there. Clayton Donaldson is a 9/4 option in the anytime goalscorer market for the home side with Lukas Jutkiewicz at 2/1. It’s hard to find anyone in great scoring form for the Blues at the moment though. In the Bet365 over/under 2.5 goals market the shortest option is going under the goal line the price of 4/6 but the last two have gone over and it may be worth pushing for the value on that again.
Leeds have been struggling a little bit out on the road in the Championship lately with just one win in their last five away from Elland Road. They took a confidence boosting 1-0 home win over Sheffield Wednesday on the weekend, the Owls also sitting in the play off spots. So that helped cement a top six berth comfortable for the Whites and Leeds are now unbeaten in their last three Championship matches (W2 D1) and that win over the Owls saw them snap a five match streak without a clean sheet. So they have been conceding goals, which suggests value again on both teams scoring in this one. Leeds have Chris Wood as the 11/8 Bet365 anytime goalscorer favourite and they are a price of 11/4 at Bet365 to win by a one goal margin. Given that they have struggled a little on the road lately, it’s hard to see Leeds, who are the better side, putting a big win on the board. Leeds have won nine of their last fourteen league games (D2 L3) and are going well, but they will be made to work hard for their returns in this one and it could be worth backing them to land just the narrowest of wins.
Birmingham v Leeds Betting Odds
Leeds 11/8, Draw 12/5, Birmingham 9/4
Birmingham v Leeds Predictions
Leeds may just have enough after that win over Sheffield Wednesday, to go and put a win on the board at St Andrews. It is not as if they are facing a particularly tough defence so they will get their chances on Friday night. The top value looks be on Leeds to win by a one goal margin, but if you don’t want to get that bold then there is enough value on them in the match outright market. A repeat 2-1 correct scoreline may have appeal too as an aside.
