League One leaders Birmingham City will look to extend their lead at the top of the table when they host bottom-of-the-pack Cambridge United at St. Andrew's Stadium on Tuesday night.
The hosts hold a four-point lead over second-placed Wycombe Wanderers but also have at least two games in hand, while the visitors are 24th in the standings and seven points adrift of safety.
Match preview
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After suffering a disappointing relegation from the Championship last season to return to League One for the first time in 29 years, Birmingham's objective became to secure an instant return to the second tier.
A summer full of heavy spending, breaking the League One transfer record on three separate occasions, established the Blues as the favourites to lift the title, and they are certainly making good on that promise.
Chris Davies's men are top of the League One standings with 63 points from 27 matches, after 19 wins, six draws and two losses, giving them a four-point lead over second-placed Wycombe Wanderers, along with at least two games in hand on their title rivals.
While their 18-game unbeaten run came to an end in their last outing, a 3-2 defeat to Newcastle United in the FA Cup fourth round, the Blues are likely to be boosted after a strong performance that saw them push a Premier League side to the limit.
Now aiming to capitalize on their games in hand, Birmingham City will look to secure another three points and extend their lead at the top of the table to a commanding six points.
The Blues are strong favourites to claim a significant victory over their opponents, with Cambridge United heading into the game sitting at the opposite end of the table, rooted to the bottom in 24th.
Cambridge earned their promotion to League One with a second-placed finish in League Two in 2020-21, and after a solid 14th-placed finish in their first season in the third tier, the U's have failed to build on that foundation.
They finished 20th in 2022-23, just a point above the drop zone, and briefly climbed to 18th in 2023-24, only four points above the relegation places, but they have fallen back down the table this term and now look destined for the drop.
Cambridge have recorded just 23 points from 29 matches, after five wins, eight draws and 16 losses, leaving them seven points behind 20th-placed Peterborough United.
While their form has seen a slight improvement over the past weeks, winning one, drawing three and losing one of their last five, Garry Monk's side are in desperate need of victories if they are to pull off a great escape in the final weeks of the campaign.
Team News
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Marc Leonard and Taylor Gardner-Hickman have both suffered injuries over the past days, meaning both are ruled out of Tuesday's fixture, joining Seung-Ho Paik on the treatment table.
Despite falling to defeat against Newcastle United, Davies will be delighted with his side's effort and performance, meaning the manager may decide to name a similar side here.
Top scorer Jay Stansfield is a guaranteed starter for the Blues, with the League One record-signing netting an impressive 14 times in 21 league appearances, and he will be hoping to add to that tally here.
As for Cambridge, Zeno Ibsen Rossi remains a doubt having failed to appear in any of their last three matches, but he is expected to be the only absentee for the visitors.
Having recorded back-to-back 1-1 draws in the League, while also suffering just one defeat in their last five, Monk could decide to name a largely unchanged 11 for this one.
Birmingham City possible starting lineup:
Allsop; Laird, Klarer, Davies, Cochrane; Iwata, Willumsson; Anderson, Dowell, Stansfield; May
Cambridge United possible starting lineup:
Bishop; Okedina, Morrison, Watts; Gibbons, Cousins, Brophy, Andrew; Kachunga, Stokes; Loft
We say: Birmingham City 3-1 Cambridge United
These two sides are at complete opposite ends of the table heading into the game, leaving Birmingham as major favourites to secure the win, and we expect the hosts to comfortably take all three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens
