Week 19 – Barnsley v Birmingham – Sport Grill

Barnsley host Birmingham City in a huge League One encounter at Oakwell.

Victory could put Barnsley into the play-off spots if Reading and Bolton both lose elsewhere, whilst Birmingham can go top if Wycombe lose heavily and Wrexham fail to win elsewhere.

Team News

Barnsley have no fresh injury issues to report following their midweek loss at Wrexham.

Birmingham will be without Keshi Anderson who is suspended following his fifth booking of the season in a 2-0 midweek win at home to Stockport.

Alfie Chang (knee), Emil Hansson (muscle), Scott Wright (unspecified) and Alfons Stampsted (ankle) remain ruled out.

When is Kick-Off?

Barnsley host Birmingham at Oakwell on Saturday 7 December at 3pm GMT, untelevised live in the UK.

Stat Attack

• Barnsley have lost three of their last six meetings against Birmingham (W2, D1, L3).
• Birmingham have won one of their last five trips to Barnsley (W1, D2, L2).
• Two of Barnsley’s last three home games against Birmingham ended in 1-0 results, with both teams winning one of those games apiece.
• Three of Adam Phillips’ five league goals for Barnsley this season have been scored at home.
• Tomoki Iwata and Jay Stansfield have both scored in Birmingham’s last two away games in the league (W1, L1).

Prediction

Winless in their last five games in all competitions, Barnsley certainly need to produce a result if want to get their promotion ambitions back on track especially after a wasteful loss at Wrexham.

Birmingham meanwhile produced a clinical home win over Stockport but have been inconsistent in their last five league games on the road, which puts a slight caution on their prospects heading to Oakwell.

I however do feel that they should have enough quality to grind out a draw here.

Prediction: Barnsley 1-1 Birmingham