Birmingham vs Norwich prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2024-05-03 11:30.
[p]The Championship reaches its crescendo on Saturday afternoon, with a battle between Birmingham and Norwich one of few games where both sides still have something to play for. The situation is much more desperate for Birmingham who occupy the final relegation spot and know their fate is firmly out of their own hands, realistically needing to win on the final day if they’re to have any chance of survival. [/p]
[p]The chances of them holding up their end of the bargain would appear respectable given their last four league wins all came on home turf, but with those also supplemented by four defeats in their last eight league outings at St Andrews, the Blues really are hit and miss. It’s been ‘miss’ more often than not against Norwich in recent times, with ten defeats from the last 11 H2Hs (D1) suggesting Birmingham could be lining up in the third tier next season for the first time since 1994/95. [/p]
[p]All-but assured of their place in the play-offs, Norwich only need a point here to mathematically confirm their top-six status, although they may not even need that if Hull falter at Plymouth. They’re still jostling for fifth place, and knowing the winner of that battle takes on an out-of-form Southampton side, perhaps there could be some incentive to secure the win that means their two-legged semi-final will come against the Saints. [/p]
[p]The Canaries can only focus on themselves for the time being but they too have shown signs of slowing up in recent weeks, with three draws from their last four games (W1). Boss David Wagner blamed a lack of cutting edge for their most recent stalemate against Swansea at the weekend, but having scored at least twice in their last four visits to St Andrews, they tend not to have that issue in these parts. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Jay Stansfield will hope to be Birmingham’s hero here, having scored in each of their last two home league wins, while he scored a hat-trick on the final day of the last league season whilst on loan at Exeter! Norwich’s Gabriel Sara contributed to both goals against Swansea (G1, A1) and opened the scoring in the reverse fixture.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Norwich’s away league games this season have averaged a Championship-high 1.95 first-half goals per game. [/p]