Birmingham vs Burnley prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2022-10-18 18:45.
Birmingham City are upwardly mobile in the Championship, moving into the top half after the conclusion of the weekend’s action thanks to a convincing 2-0 away win against relegation-threatened Hull City, but a bigger challenge now awaits Birmingham in the form of promotion-chasing Burnley. The Blues have actually been better on their travels this season than at home (11 points vs 8) but did beat Bristol City 3-0 in their last league game at St. Andrew’s, a result which means they could now win consecutive home league games for the first time since November 2021.
Despite losing the last H2H 2-1, Birmingham haven’t lost back-to-back league games against Burnley since 1963! However, John Eustace will be all too aware that record comes under threat here, having described Burnley’s squad as “Premier League standard”, which hardly inspires confidence as Birmingham are winless this season against the two teams who accompanied Burnley in relegation from the top-flight last season (D1, L1).
After a thumping 4-0 victory against Swansea at the weekend, Burnley ended the weekend looking down on the rest in the Championship. Now 11 games unbeaten in league action (W5, D6), the Clarets boast the longest run of its kind in the EFL and having not lost against Birmingham in the last four attempts (W2, D2) you would fancy Burnley to extend that run here.
Those unbeaten H2Hs include a 2-1 victory at St. Andrew’s on their way to promotion back in 2015/16, and ordinarily you would say a repeat would suit Burnley. However, with back-to-back Championship clean sheets for the first time this season, Vincent Kompany will undoubtedly want any result to be supplemented by a solid defensive showing in an attempt to oversee three-successive shutouts for the first time in his managerial career.
Players to watch: Troy Deeney has scored in two of his last three personal Championship H2Hs against Burnley, while his last six Birmingham goals were team openers. Slightly less prolific, Anass Zaroury opened his Burnley account against Swansea and his last three club goal scoring appearances have interestingly seen exactly four goals.
Hot stat: Burnley have conceded exactly once in nine of their last 11 away league games.