Eng. Championship
2013-01-26 - Burnley vs Birmingham City
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Championship
Saturday 26 January 2013 - Kick Off 3pm
Burnley
It does seem that Eddie Howe's departure from Turf Moor was a good personal decision for the former manager, as well as a good decision for Burnley as a club. The fans will remember their brief time in the Premier league and the whole ambition is to restore the club to that level of football and they have every chance to do so under the guidance of Sean Dyche.
When Howe left to return to Bournemouth, Burnley didn't look a side that was going to do anything but consolidate their position in the Championship. However, since then, the side have been moving the right way and currently find themselves in 8th place in the Championship, just 4 points off the Play Off places. Burnley are 7-4-3 at Turf Moor this season, scoring 22 goals and conceding 14 in those games.
Burnley have shown tremendous form of late by winning 3 in a row in the Championship and even the exit from the FA Cup won't be seen as a major issue for the club. The side have lost just 1 of their last 5 home games, winning 2 of 3 going into this game.
Birmingham City
Relegation from the Premier League has been incredibly tough on Birmingham City, although the key now is to avoid relegation to League One. The side did make the Play Offs last season, but this was always going to be a tough second year in the second tier of English football, while rumours persist that manager Lee Clark will soon be moving on.
The Blues are down in 20th place in the Championship and there are only 5 points separating them and Peterborough United in the final relegation places. Birmingham have a 3-5-6 away record in the League this season, scoring 18 goals and conceding 23 in those games.
Birmingham needed a late, late goal to earn a 2-2 draw with Brighton at St Andrews last weekend, but that has extended their run to 6 games without a win, while they have also been knocked out of the FA Cup by Leeds United. The side have actually been leading in their last 4 away games in all competitions, but have only won 1 of those, which means they have won just 1 of their last 8 away games. However, Birmingham have lost just 3 of their last 10 away games in all competitions.
Head to Head
It took another late goal from Nikola Zigic to earn Birmingham City a 2-2 draw with Burnley at home earlier this season.
Birmingham did win 1-3 here last season and that means they have won 3 of their last 5 visits to Turf Moor.
Prediction
Birmingham have proven a tough nut to crack in their recent away games and that does concern me here, but Burnley are riding plenty of momentum and I can see them doing enough to win this one.
It will likely be tight for much of the afternoon, but maybe Charlie Austin can make the difference and help the home side narrow the gap a little more to the Play Off places and also on the sides chasing automatic promotion that are involved in the FA Cup Fourth Round matches taking place on the same day.
The Pick :
Burnley 2-1 Birmingham City
