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St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park will host an EFL Cup encounter between Birmingham City and Brentford, as both teams battle for a place in the third round.
The visitors are brimming with confidence ahead of this clash and will be eyeing their fourth consecutive win across all competitions.
Birmingham, meanwhile, will look to keep their unbeaten run intact with a victory.
Read our Birmingham vs Brentford prediction, preview and betting tips below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Birmingham vs Brentford key stats
- Birmingham City have no losses in their last 14 matches across all competitions.
- Brentford have scored 14 goals in their last three outings alone.
- There were at least 11 corners in four of Brentford's last five games.
Birmingham vs Brentford preview: Can the hosts hold their own?
Birmingham vs Brentford — Tale of the Tape
| Brentford | vs | Birmingham |
|---|---|---|
| 13th (Championship) | Position | 2nd (Premier League) |
| 2 | Points | 3 |
| 2 | Goals For | 3 |
| 2 | Goals Against | 0 |
| 1 | Clean Sheets | 1 |
| 9th | Home / Away Rank | N/A |
*These figures were accurate at the time of publishing.
Birmingham City needed a stoppage-time goal to salvage a point in their clash with Bristol City over the weekend.
Although the hosts have strung together a 14-match unbeaten run, it is important to note that they have won only one of their last four competitive fixtures, with the other three ending in stalemates.
Birmingham City crashed out of the EFL Cup at this exact stage in the last three seasons.
Moreover, while the Blues eliminated Swansea City in the first round of this competition a couple of weeks ago, they have not won back-to-back EFL Cup fixtures since 25 August 2015, exactly 11 years to the date of this clash.
No new injuries have been reported for Birmingham after their clash with Bristol City. However, head coach Chris Davies is expected to keep an eye on Marc Leonard, who is recovering from a hamstring injury.
Due to their busy schedule in August, the Championship side are expected to rotate their squad heavily to give fringe players valuable minutes on the field of play.
On the other hand, Brentford kicked off their Premier League campaign with a surprising 3-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. They have now won three in a row and are unbeaten in their last five outings.
Unlike their opponents, the Bees did not feature in the first round of this competition due to their top-flight status. They advanced to the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup last season, ultimately losing to eventual champions Manchester City.
Sepp van den Berg remains sidelined with a groin injury suffered during pre-season, while Antoni Milambo is recovering from a knee injury and is not expected to be available for this fixture.
Birmingham have found the net at least twice in each of their last six home games across all competitions.
Following Saturday's statement win over Tottenham Hotspur, head coach Keith Andrews is expected to shuffle his starting XI significantly.
While Brentford are unbeaten in the last six clashes between these sides, it is fair to note that their most recent encounter took place during the 2020/21 season, when both teams were plying their trade in the Championship.
Birmingham vs Brentford form guide & betting tips
| Birmingham | vs | Brentford |
|---|---|---|
W
|
EFL Cup Form | N/A |
| 7 | Goals For | 17 |
| 5 | Goals Against | 5 |
W
W
W
D
D
|
Form (All Comps) |
D
D
W
W
W
|
Whispers Predicts: Birmingham 1-2 Brentford
At 19/20 (1.95), Brentford are considered favourites by the bookmakers. The visitors are a top-flight team, while Birmingham play in the Championship.
Keeping in mind that Brentford have won and scored at least three goals in each of their last three matches, coupled with Birmingham's recent struggles in competitive fixtures, we are leaning toward the visitors for the win.
Moreover, seven of Brentford's last nine games went above the 2.5-goal line, and this can be backed at 3/4 (1.75).
We also fancy HT Brentford to win at 7/5 (2.40). This landed in the visiting team's last three matches.
> Over 2.5 total goals at 3/4 (1.75) | Likelihood: Probable
> BTTS – Yes at 13/20 (1.65) | Likelihood: Probable
> Match result: Brentford at 19/20 (1.95) | Likelihood: Probable
> Brentford & BTTS – Yes at 5/2 (3.50) | Likelihood: Possible
> Correct Score: 1-2 at 8/1 (9.00) | Likelihood: Outsider