Preview: Birmingham City vs. Luton Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Luton Town's strong run of results have helped them climb to within touching distance of the Championship's playoff places, currently sitting eighth, one point off sixth-placed Nottingham Forest, with a game in hand to their advantage.

Nathan Jones's side face a trip to St Andrew's on Saturday, when they face 18th-placed Birmingham City, who are not in such great form, only winning once in their last 11 league matches.

Match preview

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Birmingham managed to create plenty of chances on Wednesday evening, when they travelled to the south coast to face Bournemouth, but Lee Bowyer's side could not capitalise on Jefferson Lerma being sent off, and ended up falling to a 3-1 defeat.

That was the fourth consecutive match that the Blues have conceded at least two goals, and having averaged just one goal per game away from home this season, defeat was always likely in midweek once the Cherries had taken a two-goal lead in the first half.

Despite a poor run of form, Birmingham have managed to get on the scoresheet at least once in their last eight matches, suggesting that their biggest problem lays in their defensive third, conceding too many goals.

Bowyer's team are currently 13 points clear of the relegation zone, but all of the sides below them have at least one game in hand on them, meaning that Birmingham will have to improve their form to avoid being dragged further into a relegation battle.

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Luton continued their good run of form on Tuesday, also meaning that they have had an extra rest day ahead of Saturday's outing, with a 2-1 win over bottom-placed Barnsley.

The hosts were pegged back just before the break after Allan Campbell had put the Hatters 1-0 up, but Elijah Adebayo's thunderbolt penalty gave Barnsley goalkeeper Bradley Collins no chance, to secure the three points for Luton.

Jones's team will have started to believe that they can finish in the top six this season, and that momentum could be just what they need to break into the playoff places, with another victory expected on Saturday.

Luton have only lost once in their last six away matches across all competitions, making them strong favourites for the three points this weekend, and they have showed a real togetherness in recent matches which will more than help their playoff dream.

Saturday's encounter is likely to play out very differently to the reverse fixture in August, when Birmingham thrashed Luton 5-0 at Kenilworth Road, but it is now the Hatters in a stronger position in the Championship.

Team News

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Taylor Richards, Adan George, Marcel Oakley and Troy Deeney will all be absent from Birmingham's matchday squad due to injury, with all three except George expected to make their returns later this month.

Scott Hogan and Lyle Taylor will continue to lead the line for the hosts, looking to add to their 15 goals between them this season, with help from Juninho Bacuna and Onel Hernandez in their attacking midfield roles.

Luton have no new injury or suspension concerns, so could name the same starting 11 which secured the three points on Tuesday evening, meaning that Harry Cornick is likely to start up top with Adebayo.

Amari'i Bell and James Bree will be expected to provide an attacking threat from their wing-back roles, with the latter being Luton's most creative player this season having provided five assists.

Kal Naismith, Gabriel Osho and Reece Burke will continue as the defensive trio for Luton, with Burke recently coming into the side in place of Welsh international Tom Lockyer.

Birmingham City possible starting lineup:
Etheridge; Pedersen, Mengi, Colin; Bela, Gardner, Bacuna, Hernandez, Graham; Hogan, Taylor

Luton Town possible starting lineup:
Shea; Naismith, Osho, Burke; Bell, Mpanzu, Lansbury, Campbell, Bree; Adebayo, Cornick

We say: Birmingham City 1-2 Luton Town

Birmingham are likely to get on the scoresheet on Saturday, as they have done so in all of their matches in recent weeks, but Luton's momentum could be the difference between the sides this weekend.

Jones's side's good form will stand them in good stead to collect three points this weekend, and the visitors will feel they must beat teams in the lower half of the table if they are serious contenders for a top-six spot.

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