Plymouth vs Birmingham prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-12-22 15:00.
Despite sealing a 3-2 Championship win in the 96th minute against Rotherham United last weekend which further improved their survival odds, Plymouth Argyle will head into their next game without a manager in charge. That’s because Steven Schumacher, who led the Devonians to promotion from League One last season, left the club on Tuesday to take the reins at Stoke City, even though the Potters sit below his former side heading into this matchday.
His departure will come as a blow, but in the immediate future, another fixture at Home Park could be just what the doctor ordered for Plymouth, as they’ve won seven of their 11 home league outings in 2023/24 (D1, L3). In fact, only high-flying Leicester City and Ipswich Town have triumphed in more such encounters in England’s second tier (9), while the Pilgrims’ return of 27 goals on their own patch can only be bettered by Ipswich in the division.
That won’t exactly be music to the ears of Birmingham City, who remain in poor form, with their latest result a 3-2 defeat to Leicester on Monday. Since new manager Wayne Rooney took the helm at St Andrew’s in late October, he’s managed to record just two victories in 11 games as the visitors have gone from play-off hopefuls to potential relegation candidates.
It’s largely down to their away form that the Blues find themselves in a bit of trouble heading towards the jam-packed festive period. So far this term, they’ve taken just seven points on the road (W2, D1, L8) – 12 fewer than on home soil – while in that time they’ve netted just nine goals, the fourth-fewest in the competition.
Players to watch: Morgan Whittaker has been directly involved in 23 goals (G13, A10) across his last 22 home league appearances for Plymouth, while Birmingham could look to Jay Stansfield, who has five league goals this campaign and scored a 95th-minute winner when these sides met on matchday four. He also provided two assists for Exeter City against Plymouth last season at Home Park.
Hot stat: Plymouth are winless in their last six league H2Hs (D1, L5), losing three of those four home games 1-0.