MX23RW : Thursday, March 27 17:23:34| >> :600:513504:513504:
[monks data]
Wycombe Wanderers
Championship | Gameweek 26
Feb 2, 2021 at 7pm UK
Adams Park
Birmingham logo

Wycombe
0 - 0
Birmingham


Grimmer (86')
FT

Dean (79')
Roberts (87')

Birmingham manager Aitor Karanka dismisses relegation talk

Birmingham manager Aitor Karanka dismisses relegation talk
© Reuters
The visitors lie within three points of the drop zone following a goalless stalemate.

Birmingham manager Aitor Karanka has insisted he is not worried about relegation despite his team falling to within three points of the Championship's bottom three as a result of their 0-0 draw at Wycombe.

The Blues have now won just one of their last 10 games and, thanks to Nottingham Forest's win against Coventry, are now fourth from bottom in the table.

Sheffield Wednesday's win at Bournemouth also drew them closer to danger, following a night where Birmingham were left frustrated by Ryan Allsop's heroics in goal for the hosts.

Karanka said: "When I came here, I knew it was going to be a tough season. It's impossible to think about being in a higher position when the team was going in the way it was going last year.

"We brought in players without spending money, and in the market we bought players without spending the money that other teams had.

"We're not complaining, it's just to show the reality for everybody.

"We knew it was going to be difficult and it's been difficult, so we'll just keep going.

"It's a shame because we played a good game, we had a lot of chances and from our chances their keeper was super and we didn't score.

"It's difficult to accept, once again, when we're playing like we did today and we are not winning games, but it is time to keep a strong mentality, to keep going because once again we have shown we are creating chances."

Wycombe came closest to scoring in the first half when Birmingham goalkeeper Neil Etheridge did superbly to keep out Uche Ikpeazu's deflected effort.

Allsop then shone after the break, with exceptional saves from Mikel San Jose and Maxime Colin, before Birmingham's Marc Roberts was sent off late on for a cynical lunge on Fred Onyedinma.

Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth said: "It wouldn't have looked out of place in League Two – no disrespect to League Two, but there was very limited moments of quality out there.

"I think what was Premier League was probably the two goalkeepers – I think both made what were match-saving saves.

"Ryan Allsop has made a couple and Neil Etheridge had one in the first half that was deflected and he was going the wrong way to start with, that was an unbelievable save.

"I think if anyone comes out with credit, it's the goalkeepers and that's usually the story of a 0-0.

"I'm pleased after Saturday [when Wycombe lost 7-2 at Brentford] because we progressed a great deal and that was important.

"Either team nicking it would have been unjust – they probably had the share of the chances over us, but I'm pleased that we've battled well against a very strong Birmingham side."

ID:433470: cacheID:433470:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:4611:
Written by
P A
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Derby County manager Wayne Rooney pictured on January 23, 2021
Read Next:
Tuesday's Championship predictions including Rotherham United vs. Derby County
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Birmingham CityBirmingham36258359243583
2Wrexham38228852302274
3Wycombe WanderersWycombe372011664362871
4Charlton AthleticCharlton381991049351466
5Stockport CountyStockport381811953351865
6Huddersfield TownHuddersfield371871252341861
7Bolton WanderersBolton37186135955460
8Reading371611105246659
9Leyton Orient371751553381556
10Blackpool381315105750754
11Barnsley38158155254-253
12Lincoln CityLincoln381311145345850
13Stevenage371310143538-349
14Rotherham UnitedRotherham37129164245-345
15Peterborough UnitedPeterborough37129165660-445
16Exeter CityExeter37129164051-1145
17Mansfield TownMansfield37128174351-844
18Wigan AthleticWigan361110153336-343
19Northampton TownNorthampton381012163756-1942
20Bristol Rovers38126203961-2242
21Burton Albion37812173853-1536
22Crawley TownCrawley3889214071-3133
23Cambridge UnitedCambridge3879223662-2630
24Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury3777233462-2828


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!