League-leaders Birmingham City are set to host Huddersfield Town on Tuesday at St Andrews in League One.
The home team are first with 19 points from their first seven matches of the 2024-25 campaign and will be hoping to return to the Championship at the first time of asking, while the visitors are 10th with 12 points and have lost their last three league games.
Match preview
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After the debacle of last season's relegation from the Championship following the club's takeover by Shelby Companies Limited, Birmingham have at least given their fans reason for optimism considering they are first and are the only unbeaten team left in the division.
The hosts won 3-2 against Peterborough United last time out on Saturday, a match in which they trailed their opponents 2-0 after just 16 minutes, but were winning 3-2 by the 66th minute.
The only time that the Blues have failed to win in the league this season was their opening match against Reading on August 10, and since then they have won six times in League One, scoring 15 goals and conceding seven times.
Boss Chris Davies will be pleased that of the 24 teams in the division, his side have averaged the highest possession figure, the most accurate passes per game and have scored the most goals per game, though he may be concerned that his team have only kept two clean sheets in their 10 competitive matches this term.
Birmingham last lost a league game in any division on April 10 when they lost 1-0 against Cardiff City in the Championship and have not lost in their last 11 matches.
The hosts are yet to keep a clean sheet at home in League One, but they have won three of their four games at St Andrews, scoring nine times and conceding on five occasions.
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Meanwhile, the visitors come into the clash in poor form and have lost six of their last seven competitive fixtures.
This includes a 2-1 loss against Reading last time out on September 28, a result that left manager Michael Duff disappointed after his side lost despite taking the lead in the 21st minute.
Duff criticised his team in the aftermath of the defeat and said that his players seem to have a soft underbelly, succumbing to pressure far too often.
Huddersfield started the season exceptionally, winning their first three league games and four of their first five.
The visitors have lost two of their last three away fixtures in League One, but prior to this they did win the previous two matches on the road.
Team News
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Birmingham City could soon be reinforced in defence by the return of Dion Sanderson and Ethan Laird, but as neither featured in their side's last match against Peterborough, Davies will likely name an unchanged defensive line.
Expect Taylor Gardner-Hickman, Christoph Klarer, Krystian Bielik and Alex Cochrane to shield goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell.
Lee Buchanan has suffered a setback in his recovery from a calf injury and is not available, while Luke Harris and Alfie Chang are also likely to miss out.
Jay Stansfield is also a doubt after picking up an injury last time out, and he could be replaced in the starting lineup by Alfie May.
As for the visitors, they will be unable to select defender Michal Helik for another two months as a result of a hamstring injury.
Huddersfield Town may name the same back three that started against Reading, so expect centre-backs Matthew Pearson, Tom Lees and Nigel Cello Lonwijk to feature.
Up front, Callum Marshall and Josh Koroma began their side's match against Reading in a strike partnership, and they may do so again on Tuesday.
Birmingham City possible starting lineup:
Peacock-Farrell; Gardner-Hickman, Klarer, Bielik, Cochrane; Iwata, Paik; Willumsson, Dykes, Hansson; May
Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:
Chapman; Pearson, Lees, Lonwijk; Spencer, Evans, Hogg, Kasumu, Headley; Marshall, Koroma
We say: Birmingham City 3-1 Huddersfield Town
Given Birmingham's strong start to the 2024-25 season, it is difficult to see Huddersfield picking up any points.
It would be surprising if the hosts managed to keep a clean sheet considering their defensive struggles, but they have been good from an offensive perspective and could score multiple goals.
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Lewis Nolan
