Birmingham City are looking to end their home campaign on a high at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park by securing a 12th victory in front of their own supporters. Blues have been impressive on home soil this season, boasting the fourth-best record in the Championship with 41 points from 22 matches. It is no secret where Blues' problems have occurred; an away record that betters only Sheffield Wednesday and Oxford United is the reason they have not mounted a promotion push.
Bristol City are Blues' final opponents at St Andrew’s, and Chris Davies is expected to make changes to his starting line-up from Wednesday’s win over Preston. Ibrahim Osman suffered a blow to the head, and concussion protocols are likely to rule him out of the final home match of his loan spell. Demarai Gray is the obvious candidate to replace Osman on the left wing, four months after the injury that derailed his season. Gray was flying before Christmas with five goals and five assists in 24 matches, but a calf injury sustained against Derby County on Boxing Day was untimely and costly. The 29-year-old has not recaptured his early-season form and has lost his place to Osman.
The exclusion of Patrick Roberts on the opposite flank has not been caused by injury. Davies has deployed Carlos Vicente on the right wing and marginalised Roberts, who was one of Blues' key performers before January. Roberts has been an unused substitute in Blues' last three matches, and it is difficult to see Davies leaving Vicente out.
In addition to Gray for Osman, there are two other changes that feel likely. Bright Osayi-Samuel is proving to be a better foil for Vicente than Ethan Laird, and Blues improved defensively when that change was made on Wednesday. The other change most would make is to bring Jhon Solis in for either Tomoki Iwata or Paik Seung-ho. Paik outshone Iwata in the engine room on Wednesday, and his quality in possession gives him the edge for the home game where Blues will no doubt enjoy the lion’s share of the ball. Iwata has been imperfect in possession when he has played in midfield this season, a statement which is supported by 71 percent passing accuracy versus Preston and 79 percent versus Hull. Solis and Paik are generally much tidier on the ball.
Davies could make more changes than the three that are predicted, but Blues’ manager is taking these final games ultra-seriously. He only made three substitutions on Wednesday and clearly is not in the mood to give players minutes at the expense of points. The Blues boss wants to make the best possible case for another crack at the job next season, and there is evidently no room for sentiment.
How will Blues line up against Bristol City? (4-2-3-1): Beadle; Osayi-Samuel, Neumann, Klarer, Wagner; Solis, Paik; Vicente, Stansfield, Gray; Priske.
