England Championship - Match Prediction: Brentford VS Birmingham City

Match Time：4/7/2021 02:00 Wednesday  (GMT+8)

England Championship --  Brentford   VS   Birmingham City

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Brentford will be looking to get their Championship automatic promotion prospects back on track when they host Birmingham City on Tuesday evening. The Bees have drawn three games in a row to lose ground on the top two, while Birmingham will be full of confidence after beating Swansea City last time out.

 

Match preview

Thomas Frank's side occupied one of the automatic promotion spots after beating Stoke City 2-1 on February 27, but they have taken just six points from a possible 15 since then. 

 

That includes a run of three successive draws against Derby County, Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield Town.

 

Lewis O'Brien profited from a mix-up between David Raya and Mads Roerslev to put Huddersfield ahead on Saturday, but Mads Sorensen did at least rescue a point in the second half.

 

A point may not be good enough for Brentford in the grand scheme of things, however, as it leaves them nine points off Watford, albeit with a game in hand on the side in second.

 

That gap may well become bigger come kickoff on Tuesday, with Watford - who still have to travel to Brentford Community Stadium - away at Middlesbrough on Easter Monday.

 

Brentford have lost just one of their last 16 league games on home soil, though they were held by Forest last time out in West London.

 

Birmingham may be 28 points worse off than their opponents down in 20th place, but they head into this game on the back of a 1-0 win over Swansea to boost their survival chances.

 

Scott Hogan's injury-time penalty, after Lukas Jutkiewicz had earlier failed to convert from the spot, earned the Blues a second win in three games under new boss Lee Bowyer.

 

However, City have accrued just four points from the last 18 available away from home in the Championship, having gained five points from their previous three (W1 D2).

 

The Blues won 1-0 on their most recent visit to Brentford, though, and are without defeat in five against the Bees overall in the league.

 

Brentford Championship form: WLWDDD

 

Birmingham City Championship form: DLLWLW

 

Team News

Mathias Jensen was a second-half substitute against Huddersfield and is in contention for a recall here, possibly in place of Saman Ghoddos.

 

Full-back Henrik Dalsgaard has a chance of returning from injury in time for Tuesday's game, but Shandon Baptiste, Josh Dasilva and Rico Henry are all out.

 

Ivan Toney is a certain starter up top as he aims to add to a return of 17 direct goal involvements in his last 17 home games for Brentford - 14 goals and seven assists.

 

As for the visitors, Bowyer has no known injury doubts for the trip to West London.

 

Hogan may be considered for a place in the XI after scoring a penalty from the bench last time out, which would likely mean Jonathan Leko dropping out.

 

Versatile defender George Friend is another contender to come into the side to provide some fresh legs on the left flank.

 

Brentford possible starting lineup:

Martin; Rasmussen, Reid, Jansson, Sorensen; Norgaard, Jensen, Janelt; Mbuemo, Toney, Canos

 

Birmingham City possible starting lineup:

Etheridge; Dean, Roberts, Pedersen; Colin, Sunjic, Harper, Friend; Halilovic; Hogan, Jutkiewicz

 

Brentford VS Birmingham City

Brentford 1-1 Birmingham City