Match Preview | Wanderers v Birmingham City

Preview Birmingham

Wanderers welcome League One leaders Birmingham City for a first meeting at the Toughsheet Community Stadium since August, 2018.

Both sides go into the game in good form as the Blues aim to close in on automatic promotion and the Whites continue to pursue a play-off place.

City beat second-placed Wycombe Wanderers 1-0 last Saturday to increase their lead at the top of the table to 12 points.

Wanderers, meanwhile, drew 0-0 at third-placed Wrexham to record a first clean sheet under Steven Schumacher and extend their impressive start under the head coach.

Image
Jordi Osei-Tutu versus Wrexham

Press conference

Wanderers Boss Steven Schumacher: "It's always a good challenge when you're playing the league leaders, so it doesn't get much bigger for us at the moment. We know what's at stake as well.  We need to keep trying to collect points. It will be a big week for a lot of teams and we're no different, so we look forward to it. It'll be a tough game but, fingers crossed, we can put in a good performance and get a result that we want from it.

"There are 13 games to go in the regular season, so you can't worry too much about what's going on around you. You've just got to keep trying to pick up your own points and when you've got home games, especially, you need to try and make the most of them.

"We've had two real good results in the last two games here at home. The atmosphere has been outstanding and we're going to need that again on Tuesday night."

Image
Steven Schumacher versus Wrexham

Birmingham City Boss Chris Davies: "The boys are giving everything. We aren’t a team that sits back and plays a kind of passive game. I want a high energy game, and a high energy game every three or four days isn’t easy at any level.

"I’m asking a lot of them, but they couldn’t give any more – for the club, for the team and for themselves. Bolton were play-off finalists last year, have good squad, a new manager which has given them a boost, so it will be a really tough game.”

Team news

Wanderers' striker Victor Adeboyejo is again absent as he awaits a second opinion on the extent of a knee injury, while loanee Kion Etete is stepping up his rehabilitation but unlikely to return before the end of month.

Kyle Dempsey and Ricardo Almeida Santos are also not yet ready to return but defender Gethin Jones is closer to a comeback as he looks to overcome a rib injury.

Image
Gethin Jones versus Shrewsbury

Top scorer Jay Stansfield remains a doubt for Birmingham after missing three games with a knee injury. Midfielder Scott Wright and striker Lyndon Dykes are both ruled out, while Ethan Laird and Ryan Allsop were substituted in the Blues' weekend win over Wycombe and may not figure.

Northern Ireland international Bailey Peacock-Farrell could take over in goal, while midfielders Keshi Anderson and Marc Leonard could also return.

Form guide

Wanderers have won their last three home games, including the first two under the guidance of head coach Steven Schumacher - coming from behind each time to beat Crawley and Leyton Orient.

The Whites have won five and drawn one of their last seven league games to sit two points outside the play-off places.

Image
Aaron Morley

Birmingham are on an 18-game unbeaten run in the league, having not lost since late November. The Blues have won six of their last seven league games and haven't conceded a goal in their last five league fixtures.

Their defensive record is the best in the division with just 19 goals conceded in their 33 games, with one of their clean sheets coming in a 2-0 home win over Wanderers in October. 

Kick-Off

Tuesday 7:45pm

Referee:

Thomas Kirk

Kirk is the man in the middle on Tuesday night. He last officiated Wanderers' Boxing Day game against Barnsley.

Tickets/Wanderers TV

Over 22,000 of you have already secured your place in backing the boys tonight. There's still time to get yours by clicking HERE.

Audio passes will be available, as always, for UK-based supporters. Those based internationally can stream the game through a live video match pass on Wanderers TV.

Click HERE to purchase a pass.

Read Time: 4 mins