Birmingham vs Rotherham prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-12-01 15:00.
Despite registering 22 efforts at Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday evening, it was another loss for Wayne Rooney’s Birmingham City, who were beaten 4-2 to make it five defeats from seven games (W1, D1) since he took the reins. Although the pressure is mounting on the 38-year-old, he will be pleased to see Championship strugglers Rotherham United arrive at St Andrew’s this weekend, as his only other win so far during his spell in charge occurred at home against bottom-of-the-table Sheffield Wednesday last Saturday.
All four points picked up during Rooney’s tenure have come in the second city, but irrespective of the venue, his side have failed to keep a clean sheet in all seven fixtures under him. The Blues conceded three times in the opening 14 minutes of the second half at Ewood Park and they have now let in 16 goals under his management – five more than league leaders Leicester have all season in England’s second tier!
Managerless Rotherham travel south as the team with the worst defensive record in the division and bottom of the away table with only one point from nine matches. On the road, they have conceded nine times in their last two encounters and have scored only twice in their last seven, one of which was a consolation strike at Hull on Tuesday as the visitors lost 4-1.
The Millers have gone more than a year without a league away victory (D8, L14), so picking up more points outside South Yorkshire will be a big priority for their new manager. But an appointment is not expected before Saturday, so Wayne Carlisle will continue as caretaker boss as Rotherham look to turn around a desperate recent record against Birmingham, who they have beaten only twice since the start of the 1990s (D7, L10)!
Players to watch: Siriki Dembélé notched up two goals after the break against Blackburn and is now Birmingham’s joint-leading scorer this term, finding the net in three matches, with his strikes the first for Blues in each of those games. Hakeem Odoffin is level as Rotherham’s top scorer with three goals in 2023/24 and is ruthless when he gets an opportunity, as he has only taken five shots all campaign.
Hot stat: Rotherham have netted only three first-half away goals in the Championship this calendar year.