West Brom vs Birmingham preview: Championship clash live on Sky Sports Football
Watch West Brom vs Birmingham on Friday night from 7pm on Sky Sports Football; Kick-off is at 8pm
Friday 29 March 2019 19:20, UK
Kieran Gibbs and Tosin Adarabioyo are in contention to return when West Brom host Birmingham in the Sky Bet Championship on Friday.
They trained over the international break, making them potential starters. Stefan Johansen, Rekeem Harper, Sam Field and Ahmed Hegazi all returned from international duty unscathed. Matt Phillips is again expected to miss out, owing to an unspecified injury.
Birmingham have Maxime Colin available for selection following his recovery from a tight hamstring. Marc Roberts and Charlie Lakin, who both missed the defeat at Preston before the international break through injury, have also been passed fit.
Jota is pushing to start, having appeared as a substitute at Preston. Craig Gardner and Isaac Vassell are further options should they wish to change a losing team.
Opta stats
West Brom are unbeaten in their last four league games against Birmingham (W2 D2), their longest such run against them since November 1997 (five games).
Birmingham are looking for their first away league win at the Hawthorns since August 2005 (2-3), having failed to win on their two trips since (D1 L1).
West Bromwich Albion have already won more league matches this season (19) than they managed in their last two Premier League seasons in 2016-17 and 2017-18 combined (18).
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Birmingham have lost their last four league matches - the worst run of Garry Monk's managerial career with a single club.
West Bromwich Albion's last eight Championship goals have been scored by different players (Montero, Murphy, Livermore, Johansen, Brunt, Holgate, Rodriguez and Edwards).
Since scoring against Bristol City in February, Birmingham have had 59 shots in the Championship without finding the net.
Prutton's prediction
Birmingham have had the points deduction they were expecting for a while and now their season has a totally different look to it. They are staring over their shoulders rather than at the sides ahead of them.
It is two wins from two now since West Brom sacked Darren Moore. I'm not convinced there is long enough left for them to catch up with the sides ahead of them and I have a a feeling they will be held at The Hawthorns on Friday night.
David Prutton predicts: 2-2 (14/1 with Sky Bet)
