Avoiding a fourth straight defeat will be the objective for Birmingham when they welcome Swansea to St. Andrew's Stadium on Saturday in round six of the 2024-25 Championship season.
With only one point separating the sides in the standings, there is little to choose between them.
Our Birmingham vs Swansea prediction article aims to provide a rundown on what to expect from this weekend's meeting.
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Birmingham vs Swansea prediction: Visitors to shade narrow contest
Key stats
- Birmingham are on a run of three consecutive defeats, all of which they have failed to find the back of the net.
- The Blues have managed just one clean sheet from their last five outings, while also conceding the opener in the other four matches
- Swansea are unbeaten in seven straight matches and have broken the deadlock on all but two occasions during that span.
Correct score prediction: Birmingham 1-2 Swansea
After a bright start to the campaign, Birmingham have endured a torrid time at both ends of the pitch lately.
Swansea will be keen to do their struggling hosts no favour, and we are tipping the Welsh outfit to come out on top by the odd goal.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Birmingham fancied despite recent struggles
- HOME: 17/20 (1.85) – 54.1%
- DRAW: 23/10 (3.30) – 30.3%
- AWAY: 10/3 (4.33) – 23.1%
*Odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
Given how underwhelming Birmingham have been lately, a 54.1% win probability is a tad generous against a Swansea outfit unbeaten in league action since the opening weekend.
Birmingham were powerless to stop Stoke City claiming all three points when the teams met last time out, with a Bosun Lawal strike in the 21st minute proving to be the difference.
Picking up arguably their most impressive result of the season so far, Swansea showed great mettle to knock out Premier League opponents Nottingham Forest in Wednesday's EFL Cup third-round tie.
An Igor Jesus brace in the first half left Alan Sheehan's men seemingly down and out before Carlo Burgess' double either side of a Zan Vipotnik leveller sparked wild celebrations at full time.
For more from the upcoming matches, today’s free football betting tips look at some of the best picks.
Most recent H2Hs: Birmingham unbeaten in eight
Saturday's meeting will see Birmingham and Swansea face off for the first time since the 2023/24 campaign, during which both clashes finished level.
A late Jordan James equaliser in the most recent encounter saved Birmingham from what would have been a first defeat in this fixture since July 2020, although five of the subsequent eight matchups have ended with honours even.
England Championship 13/01/24
Birmingham
Swansea
England Championship 05/08/23
Swansea
Birmingham
England Championship 04/02/23
Swansea
Birmingham
England Championship 08/11/22
Birmingham
Swansea
England Championship 10/09/22
Birmingham
Swansea
Birmingham preview: Scott Wright's lengthy injury spell rolls on
Wright suffered a knee injury nine minutes into Birmingham's goalless stalemate against Reading back in February and has not featured since.
The 28-year-old is expected to be ready for action around early October, so he is ruled out for Saturday's game alongside Lee Buchanan.
Predicted lineup: Allsop(GK), Cochrane, Klarer, Neumann, Laird; Gray, Paik, Iwata, Roberts, Doyle & Stansfield
Birmingham's last five matches:
- Stoke 1-0 Birmingham (Championship)
- Leicester 2-0 Birmingham (Championship)
- Birmingham 0-1 Port Vale (EFL Cup)
- Birmingham 1-0 Oxford United (Championship)
- Blackburn 1-2 Birmingham (Championship)
Swansea preview: Ricardo Santos's competitive debut not in sight
Santos suffered a knee problem on his first outing for Swansea in a pre-season clash against Cheltenham two months ago.
The defender is one of three absentees for the away side, who are also without Jay Fulton and Marko Stamenic for this weekend's game.
Predicted lineup: Vigouroux(GK), Tymon, Burgess, Cabango, Key, Galbraith, Franco, Eom, Yalcouye, Ronald & Vipotnik
Swansea's last five matches:
- Swansea 3-2 Nottingham Forest (EFL Cup)
- Swansea 2-2 Hull City (Championship)
- Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Swansea (Championship)
- Swansea 1-1 (5-3 pens) Plymouth (EFL Cup)
- Swansea 1-1 Watford (Championship)
Player to watch – Zan Vipotnik
Vipotnik was brought on with 11 minutes of normal time left against Forest last time out, but the forward managed to make an impact by grabbing a stoppage-time equaliser.
He has now scored in six of his most recent seven appearances for club and country since going seven matches without a goal.
The Slovenian is set to return to the Swansea XI this weekend, where he will be aiming to continue his hot streak.