Subscribe
Follow Us
Two English Championship teams square off for the second time as Birmingham City FC hosts the Blackburn Rovers in the fourth-round replay of the English Football Association (FA) Cup. We continue with our English FA Cup odds series and lay down our Birmingham-Blackburn prediction and pick.
The two teams played out a 2-2 draw last Saturday, thanks to an extra-time equalizer squeaked in by Jordan James off of a lovely pass by Hannibal Mejri.
The Rovers currently rank fifth in the Championship, earning 43 points from 14 wins and one draw in 28 games played. Before sharing spoils with Birmingham, Blackburn's results since the turn of the calendar include a 1-0 win versus Norwich City, a 4-0 disappointment versus Rotherham United, and a 1-1 deadlock with Bristol City.
Birmingham is placed at the bottom of the Championship table, ranking 19th out of the 24 teams with 32 points acquired from eight wins and eight draws. Prior to their draw with Blackburn, Birmingham only got a win in 2023 versus Forest Green Rovers, while games against Middlesbrough, Bristol City, and Preston North End resulted in losses.
Here are the Birmingham-Blackburn soccer odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
English FA Cup Odds: Birmingham-Blackburn Odds
Birmingham City: +135
Blackburn Rovers: +190
Draw:+210
Over 2.5 Goals: +100
Under 2.5 Goals: -140
How to Watch Birmingham vs. Blackburn
TV: N/A
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 2:45 PM ET / 11:45 AM PT
*Watch soccer LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Birmingham Can Beat Blackburn
John Eustace's side will come out all systems go at St. Andrew's Trillion Trophy Stadium to keep their chance at the FA Cup silverware alive. Their last five games at home resulted in six goals yet just one win, but the Brummies are looking forward to snatching a win on home soil. A possible chance for success is in the making if the Blues replicate their home wins versus Reading Queens Park Rangers, and Bristol City.
Eustace may look for Scott Hogan and Troy Deeney to resume their slots in the forward slots to spearhead the attack for the Blues, but Lukas Jutkiewicz and Reda Khadra should see some minutes in this tight matchup. Based on the last game's performance, Juninho Bacuna, Hannibal Mejbri, and Tahith Chong are primed to take the midfield duties, but Jordan James, Krystian Bielik, and Gary Gardner should also see some time on the pitch as substitutes. The Blues' back five should stay the same, but a tighter defensive wall shall be expected from George Friend, Auston Trusty, Kevin Long, Dion Sanderson, and Maxime Colin. Neil Etheridge will likely start as the man designated in the goalposts.
Birmingham has been performing lackadaisically in the offensive end, just finding the net on 30 occasions in 28 games in the Championship. To survive this match, they need to convert more than their averages of 10.5 total shots, 4.9 corners, and a 42.5% ball possession rate. Their defense should hold up in this game, as their 16.6 tackles, 9.5 interceptions, 19.3 clearances, and 2.5 saves per game resulted in eight clean sheets this season.
Why Blackburn Can Beat Birmingham
The Rovers had an amazing performance at Ewood Park, but they squandered their lead in extra time. The Blackburners would need positive results if they want to start another series of wins in all competitions.
Blackburn holds the advantage in head-to-head records, almost making it six straight wins until the draw last Saturday. Blackburn is dealing with issues in their inconsistent form. They hope that they get to jumpstart another series of wins, as they have only logged three wins since December.
If Jon Dahl Tomasson would like to advance to the next round, he could take a similar starting XI with his Blackburn side. Sam Gallagher, Ryan Hedges, Bradley Dack, and Ben Brereton Diaz will most likely occupy the forward slots, but Sammie Szmodics and Jack Vale would likely replace either of the four for more offensive outputs. Lewis Travis will be the reliever for either midfielders John Buckley or Tyler Morton. Thomas Kaminski, who has secured 10 clean sheets in the championship, will be the starting goalkeeper and hopes that he could keep the ball off of the net.
Final Birmingham-Blackburn Prediction & Pick
Birmingham finally puts a stop to their dismal run against their second-tier opposition. With newfound class and confidence, both teams progress into this fixture with some significant offensive improvements. However, Blackburn's history of bouncing back after a poor run of results might just give them the edge over Birmingham. A tie game after 90 minutes is still a possibility, but Blackburn looks like they will not commit to their extra-time disappointment last game.
Final Birmingham-Blackburn Prediction & Pick: Blackburn Rovers (+190)
