MX23RW : Sunday, November 24 14:57:56| >> :120:66009:66009:
[monks data]
Birmingham logo
Championship
Nov 29, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Nottingham Forest logo

2-1

Cotterill (10'), Caddis (89' pen.)
FT(HT: 1-0)

Preview: Birmingham City vs. Nottingham Forest

Can Gary Rowett maintain his unbeaten start with Birmingham City? Sports Mole previews their Championship match against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Birmingham City can make it five games unbeaten under new manager Gary Rowett if they avoid defeat at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon.

The Blues' fortunes have noticeably improved under Rowett, who has guided them out of the bottom three and up to 19th place with two wins and two draws in his four games in charge.

They are only a point above the bottom three, though, and Rowett will know that there is a long way to go yet, despite the encouraging start.

Last weekend they edged out fellow strugglers Rotherham United 1-0 at the New York Stadium. Clayton Donaldson scored the goal and he is now starting to find some form - he has scored the Blues' last three goals - after an indifferent start to life at Birmingham following a summer switch from Brentford.

He has had to take on the goalscoring mantle of late with Wes Thomas suspended, and the latter will again be unavailable for the visit of Forest as he serves the last game of his three-match ban.

The reliance on Donaldson and general lack of firepower up front has led to the club pursuing giant Serbian striker Nikola Zigic, who was released by the club in the summer but now looks set for a return to the second city.

Forest travel to St Andrew's on a good run of form themselves, having won two in a row after 10 games without a win.

Stuart Pearce's side followed up their last-gasp victory over Norwich City with a convincing display at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, winning 3-0 at Molineux to climb up to eighth in the table and just two points off the playoff places.

Pearce has no reason to alter his starting XI, but Thomas Ince might earn a recall to the starting XI.

One of the players he could replace is Chris Burke, but he will be desperate to keep his position on the right of midfield as he faces his former club for the first time since leaving in the summer.

There was just one goal in the two matches between these sides last season and it came in their last meeting, when Matt Derbyshire scored the winner at the City Ground.

Birmingham:

Recent form: LLDWDW

Possible starting lineup: Randolph; Caddis, Morrison, Robinson, Grounds; Gleeson, Davis, Gray, Shinnie, Cotterill; Donaldson

Forest:

Recent form: DLLLWW

Possible starting lineup: Darlow; Lichaj, Mancienne, Lascelles, Fox; Burke, Osborn, Lansbury, Antonio; Fryatt, Assombalonga

Sports Mole says: 1-3


ID:190411: cacheID:190411:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5851:No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Burton manager Gary Rowett looks on prior to the Capital One Cup Second Round match between Burton Albion and Queens Park Rangers at Pirelli Stadium on August 27, 2014
Read Next:
Preview: Rotherham vs. Birmingham
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
6pm
Vikings
@
Bears
6pm
Lions
@
Colts
6pm
Patriots
@
Dolphins
6pm
Buccaneers
@
Giants
6pm
Chiefs
@
Panthers
6pm
Titans
@
Texans
6pm
Cowboys
@
Washington
9.05pm
Broncos
@
Raiders
9.25pm
49ers
@
Packers
9.25pm
Cardinals
@
Seahawks
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Wycombe WanderersWycombe15112235181735
2Wrexham1694325111431
3Stockport CountyStockport1786329171230
4Birmingham CityBirmingham1493226151130
5Huddersfield TownHuddersfield158252315826
6Barnsley167542420426
7Lincoln CityLincoln167542320326
8Reading158252422226
9Bolton WanderersBolton158252425-126
10Mansfield TownMansfield147342016424
11Exeter CityExeter157261413123
12Peterborough UnitedPeterborough166373229321
13Bristol Rovers166371721-421
14Charlton AthleticCharlton155461617-119
15Stevenage165471116-519
16Northampton TownNorthampton164661821-318
17Wigan AthleticWigan154561312117
18Rotherham UnitedRotherham164571419-517
19Blackpool164572230-817
20Crawley TownCrawley174491527-1216
21Leyton Orient154381418-415
22Cambridge UnitedCambridge153391324-1112
23Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury1632111629-1311
24Burton Albion151591528-138


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!