Birmingham v West Brom predictions, betting odds and tips: Blues can secure the derby spoils

Where to watch Birmingham v West Brom

Sky Sports Football, 8pm Friday

Best bet

Birmingham draw no bet
1pt 17-20 Betfair, Power

Birmingham v West Brom odds

Birmingham 17-10
West Brom 7-4
Draw 9-4

Odds correct at time of publishing

Birmingham v West Brom team news

Birmingham
The Blues will be without Lee Buchanan, Tyler Roberts, Keshi Anderson, Ethan Laird and George Hall.

West Brom
Jeremy Sarmiento, Adam Reach, Josh Maja and Daryl Dike are unavailable.

Birmingham v West Brom predictions

Birmingham are one of four Championship teams with an unbeaten home record and their vocal St Andrew's support could help them get the better of West Brom in a tense West Midlands derby.

Both clubs won on Tuesday night with Birmingham registering a thumping 4-1 success at home to Huddersfield and Albion easing to a comfortable 1-0 victory at home to Sheffield Wednesday.

Fifth-placed West Brom have put together a five-game unbeaten run and have the incentive of knowing that a victory would keep them inside the playoff places for the upcoming international break.

However, the Baggies have registered only one away win in their last seven games on the road and face a serious examination against the Blues, who look much improved since last season.

Birmingham finished 17th last term with a lack of pace and quality in attack among the reasons for their struggles.

They addressed those shortcomings in the summer with the captures of Siriki Dembele from Bournemouth and Jay Stansfield, who is on loan from Fulham, and should reap the rewards with a loftier league finish this time around.

Livewire Stansfield has been one of the Blues' standout players with three goals in seven appearances.

Dembele's contributions, meanwhile, have been limited due to injury but he returned to the Blues' starting line-up on Tuesday and caught the eye with two goals.

With Stansfield and Dembele in the side, Birmingham could emerge as genuine playoff contenders.

Defeating a confident West Brom will not be an easy task but Birmingham should carry a greater threat and look worth backing in the draw-no-bet market.

Key stat

Birmingham are unbeaten in their last five Championship home matches.

Probable teams

Birmingham (4-2-3-1): Ruddy; Drameh, Sanderson, Long, Longelo; Bielik, Sunjic; Bacuna, Miyoshi, Dembele; Stansfield.
Subs: Etheridge, Roberts, Hogan, Jutkiewicz, James, Gardner, Khela, Aiwu, Burke.

West Brom (3-4-2-1): Palmer; Kipre, Bartley, Pieters; Furlong, Yokuslu, Mowatt, Townsend; Wallace, Swift; Thomas-Asante.
Subs: Phillips, Ajayi, Moulmby, Diangana, Chalobah, Pipa, Fellows, Griffiths, Taylor.

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