Birmingham City

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Birmingham seek to rewrite their record books as they welcome Derby for their final home game of 2025 on Friday (12:30 GMT).

Chris Davies side are seeking an 18th home win of the calendar year, which would match their best ever return.

Blues have taken a single point from their past four games to fall to 14th, six points behind the play-off places, but have taken 21 points from 10 home games, with just a single defeat.

The Rams are unbeaten in three games, claiming five points, and sit two points and two places ahead of their hosts ahead of John Eustace's return to St Andrew's.

• Birmingham have won two of their past three league games against Derby (D1), as many as they had in their previous 19 (D7 L10).

• Derby lost their last away league game to Birmingham in September 2021. They've not lost on consecutive visits to St Andrew's since a run of four between 1974 and 1977.

• Birmingham beat Burton Albion 2-0 on Boxing Day last season. They've not won consecutive Boxing Day matches since a run of three between 2006 and 2008.

• Derby have won their past two Boxing Day league games, beating Wigan in 2023 and West Brom in 2024. They last won three in a row on Boxing Day between 1956 and 1958.

• Birmingham have won 17 home league games in 2025 and need one more home win to equal their record for home victories in a calendar year, set in the year 2000 when they won 18.

Birmingham City boss Chris Davies spoke to BBC Radio WM after Saturday's 3-0 defeat by Sheffield United.

"It was quite the opposite of everything we had been talking about and working on," he said.

"The whole week's work was building up to this fixture and we didn't start quick enough and conceded an extremely soft goal from a corner, one of the worst we've conceded.

"The challenge was a red card, I think you'd be lying to say it wasn't. It was reckless and Tommy has owned that and accepted responsibility. It's not the kind of team that I want to be.

"If our away form has been this poor our home form needs to be so good and that's unfortunately the position we're in now. The good news is we are better at home and we need to take that with us moving forward."

Sheffield United will look to bounce back from their loss to West Bromwich Albion last time out by welcoming a different West Midlands team to Bramall Lane on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Blades saw their six-game undefeated run come to an end against the Baggies in a 2-0 loss but now host a Birmingham City side who don't fare well on the road.

Blues have only won twice away from home this season, with their past two trips ending in a loss.

• Sheffield United are unbeaten in their last three league games against Birmingham (W2 D1), their longest run without defeat against the Blues since a run of five between 1995 and 1997.

• Birmingham have won just one of their last seven away league games against Sheffield United (D3 L3), though are unbeaten in their last four visits to Bramall Lane (W1 D3).

• Sheffield United are unbeaten in their last four Championship home games (W2 D2), keeping a clean sheet in three of these four matches; as many as in their previous 16 home league matches combined (3).

• Since winning their first Championship away game of the season (2-1 v Blackburn), Birmingham have only won one of their last 10 games on the road in the competition (D2 L7): 1-0 v Preston in October.

• Sheffield United striker Patrick Bamford has scored four goals in six Championship starts against Birmingham, opening the scoring in a 3-0 win the last time he faced them (for Leeds United in January 2024).

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Birmngham City manager Chris Davies says he spoken to his his side about the need to start making the most of the vital "moments" that come their way in away games as they start the "critical" festive period in the Championship.

Blues, currently five points off the play-off places, start their busy schedule in the build up to Christmas and into the New Year at Sheffield United on Saturday [15:00 GMT].

The trip to Bramall Lane is the first of five games in 14 days as Davies' side try to get closer to the top six.

"It's a critical period, most definitely," Davies told BBC Radio WM.

"We've got three [games] at home and two away and there's so many points to play for for all the teams, so it can really shape that last 20 games of the season."

Blues' away record of two wins from 11 matches needs improving and Davies has been working hard on getting his side to replicate their outstanding form at home on the road.

"We have dug into the away form a lot more this week," he said.

"The points return we've got [eight] is nowhere we want it to be for our away form. We needed to have picked up more points from those games.

"There have been a couple when we've been off it, but there's been some closer games where we could've got something, and those points would make things look different - but we are where we are.

"We've spoken this week about really using our moments when they arrive in games - moments where we need to have that killer instinct and a strong mentality.

"We have speed and technique. We need to be a little bit braver getting on the ball and playing forward more. We haven't scored enough away from home."

Image source, Rex Features

Birmingham City manager Chris Davies spoke to BBC Radio WM after the 1-1 draw with Charlton Athletic.

'It's a frustrating one for us because the way we played in the first half was very good and we scored a very good setpiece goal. We had a good few chances, hit the post and I thought: 'more of the same' basically. But when you can't get that second goal the game is always alive.

We probably slipped into a protective mindset a bit too early in terms of our game. They had a little spell which you can predict in a game - I think they had one shot on target but the one they had went in.

We pushed on to try to get the win at the end. We hit the bar and had a few other moments but it wasn't to be today.

We've had two games away from home, it has been a long week and I think there was almost a mindset of 'let's see this game out'.

We didn't quite have that normal zip and freshness as the game went on. There were some heavy legs. In the end we've dropped that winning position.'

Image source, EFL

Coventry City boss Frank Lampard has won his second successive Championship manager of the month award.

The Sky Blues boss oversaw maximum points with five successive wins in November with his side currently five points clear at the top of the table.

Lampard said: "We got some fantastic results throughout November and I would like to thank all the players, staff and everyone involved for their continued hard work.

"We have a great togetherness and team spirit here and we're all looking forward to the busy Christmas period and continuing our hard work."

Birmingham's Chris Davies, Tonda Eckert of Southampton and Derby boss John Eustace were also nominated for the award.

Coventry at the double again

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Once again Coventry have cause for a double celebration with striker Ellis Simms being named the player of the month, following hot on the heels of team-mate Brandon Thomas-Asante claiming the award in October.

The 24-year-old scored five goals in his three starts in November including a brace in each of the victories over Middlesbrough and Charlton, taking his tally to eight in all competitions so far this season.

"This was only possible because of my team-mates and the staff pushing standards every day," said Simms.

"Individual awards come from team performances, and the results we've had make this extra special.

"I'll take the confidence from it and keep giving everything for the club and the fans."

Simms beat strikers Carlton Morris (Derby) and Joe Gelhardt (Hull City) plus Birmingham full-back Alex Cochrane to the award.

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Birmingham City boss Chris Davies says he has spent the last few days underlining the need to show more "personality" and "bravery" in away games - much like they do at home.

Blues are preparing for the visit of out-of-form Charlton on Saturday (15:00 GMT) off the back of two disappointing results on the road at Southampton and Queens Park Rangers.

Although glad to be back at St Andrew's, Davies told BBC Radio WM, he has been reminding his squad the importance of improving their away record that's brought only two wins out of 11 games.

"They've definitely seen the urgency in terms of what I'm saying and the importance of it," Davies said.

"I have to coach the players through this because there's room for us to grow and improve away from home.

"We have to develop our game. We need more personality on the road and be braver - we're maybe five yards deeper than we are at home - and we're not maybe taking the ball as much.

"I think that little bit of devilment, enjoying silencing the crowd, would really help us and we need to take that into away games. It needs to pick up.

"The good news our next match is at home where we've been pretty strong and I'm anticipating a reaction."

The two teams met three times last season - twice in League One and once in the Carabao Cup - with both sides winning at home in the league and Blues edging the cup tie.

"They're very aggressive and full of energy. Saturday will look a lot like the games we played before which were difficult to control and very physical," Davies added.

"We're very confident at home but we're wary of this match because of our recent form [four home wins in a row] and they're on such bad form [five defeats in a row] it can become a sticky game unless you take care it it early on.

"We have to be on the front foot and react to these two disappointing results."

Birmingham City welcome Charlton Athletic for a meeting between two sides promoted from League One last season on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Blues have suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time since September but are still only three points off the play-off places in 11th.

The Addicks started the season well but have now lost five on the bounce, conceding 15 goals and scoring just three in the process, to slip to 19th - six points above the relegation zone.

• Birmingham are looking to register consecutive league wins over Charlton for the first time since February 1980.

• The home team won both league meetings between Birmingham and Charlton last season, as many as there'd been in the previous 11 games in this fixture (W2 D5 L4).

• Birmingham City have lost just one of their previous 34 home league games (W27 D6) and have won their past four in a row since the 3-2 defeat to Hull in October.

• Charlton have lost their past three away league games, last having a longer away losing streak in February/March 2022 in League One (four).

• Birmingham have won 17 home league games in 2025 so far – a win in this game would equal their most wins at home in a calendar year, winning 18 games in the year 2000.

Image source, Getty Images

Coventry City boss Frank Lampard, Birmingham's Chris Davies, Tonda Eckert of Southampton and Derby head coach John Eustace have been nominated for the Championship's manager of the month award for November.

The Sky Blues continue to lead the way at the top of the table and took a maximum 15 points from their five games last month, scoring 14 goals along the way, and Lampard will be looking to take the award for the second successive month.

In fact, Coventry will be hoping to make it a double once again with striker Ellis Simms among the nominees for the player of the month with team-mate Brandon Thomas-Asante having won it in October.

Birmingham managed 10 points under Davies while Eckert's four-match winning streak went a long way to helping him secure the Southampton job on a permanent basis.

Derby followed their strong finish to October by winning four of their games in November to earn Eustace his nomination.

Elsewhere in the player of the month category, there is recognition for strikers Carlton Morris (Derby) and Joe Gelhardt (Hull City), while Birmingham full-back Alex Cochrane is also in the running. The winners will be announced on Friday, 12 December.

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Birmingham City forward Patrick Roberts said a lack of game management cost them the chance to secure a point at Queens Park Rangers.

Robert's injury-time strike looked like grabbing Blues a point only for teenage substitute Kieran Morgan to fire in a winner in the 96th minute from the edge of the box.

It meant Birmingham suffered back-to-back defeats on the road and kept them three points outside the play-off places.

"Game management has to come in," Roberts told BBC Radio WM.

"Maybe we could've taken our time. Our mentality is always to try to win the game but maybe at that time we take a point.

"These things happen in football, it's disappointing but we've got to pick ourselves up again."

The result deprived Blues of just a ninth point from 11 games away from home this season.

Roberts said their struggles on the road were a "a familiar story" and had "to change".

"We've got the quality to do it, we've got to pick up more games on the road," he added.

"With the strength and quality we've got, we should be coming here and taking three points. That's something we need to work on, you've got to learn from these games.

"It's a long season still, we can't get too disappointed this early but we need to bounce back quick."

Birmingham are back at home against Charlton in their next game on Saturday.

Birmingham City boss Chris Davies felt his side were not "strong enough" in Tuesday's Championship defeat at QPR.

Blues levelled in stoppage time through Patrick Roberts but went on to concede a 96th-minute winner.

"We weren't at our best today," Davies admitted to BBC Radio WM. "We weren't as fluent as we normally are with the ball, but again I think the problem is conceding the first goal, giving ourselves a big job to do.

"I do think we did grow into the game. We got better and better and better, and eventually started to create chances really late on.

"They're a very physical team, big strong players, and I don't think we were strong enough across the pitch in a lot of duels, and that obviously cost us in terms of possession, and being second to the ball.

"The players are desperately disappointed because they thought they'd clawed themselves back into the game, and couldn't get it over the line."

Image source, Getty Images

The FA Cup third round draw was made on Monday evening, with all 24 Championship clubs entering at this stage of the competition.

Ties will take place between Thursday, 8 January and Monday, 12 January.

These are the ties involving Championship clubs:

• Cambridge United v Birmingham City

• Hull City v Blackburn Rovers

• Bristol City v Watford

• Charlton Athletic v Chelsea

• Stoke City v Coventry

• Derby County v Leeds United

• Ipswich Town v Blackpool

• Cheltenham Town v Leicester City

• Fulham v Middlesbrough

• Burnley v Millwall

• Norwich City v Walsall

• MK Dons v Oxford United

• Portsmouth v Arsenal

• Preston North End v Wigan Athletic

• West Ham United v Queens Park Rangers

• Sheffield United v Mansfield Town

• Sheffield Wednesday v Brentford

• Doncaster Rovers v Southampton

• Swansea City v West Bromwich Albion

• Wrexham v Nottingham Forest

You can see the full draw here.

QPR and Birmingham City will both look to gain ground on the Championship play-off places when they meet at Loftus Road on Tuesday night (20:00 GMT).

The Hoops have won three of their past four games (L1) to move up from 16th to 10th and within two points of the top six.

Blues are tied on 28 points with QPR and sit in eighth but will be looking to improve on their away record with just two wins on the road so far this season (D2 L6).

• QPR have lost just two of their past 11 home league games against Birmingham (W6 D3), going down 4-3 in February 2019 and 1-0 in March 2023.

• Birmingham have won two of their past four league games against QPR (D1 L1), as many as they had in their previous 13 (D4 L7). They were winless against the Hoops the last time they faced in 2023-24, however.

• QPR have won five of their past six league games against promoted sides (L1), winning each of the previous three by a 3-1 scoreline. They last won more consecutively against promoted clubs between February and October 2008 (5).

• QPR have lost just one of their past five midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Championship games (W3 D1), though it was in their most recent such home game against Southampton last month.

• Birmingham have lost just one of their past 20 midweek (Tues, Weds, Thurs) league games (W15 D4), going down 3-1 at Bolton in March.

Image source, Rex Features

Birmingham City boss Chris Davies said that his side had "to defend better" against Southampton as they fell to defeat on Saturday afternoon.

Blues managed to get back into the game after going two down when Demarai Gray curled a sweet strike into the net, but were unable to avoid the loss as Adam Armstrong scored a second goal to put the game to bed.

"I think it was always going to be a challenge but the first 20 minutes," Davies told the media after the game.

"We weren't strong enough or physically quick enough onto the ball and we paid the price for it because we gave ourselves a mountain to climb at 2-0 down against a team with a lot of good players away from home.

"The first 20 minutes was not what we've been talking about or what we wanted to deliver in terms of our, you know, solidity and strength in that period away from home.

"But obviously they had a couple of moments which we just have to defend better today."

Birmingham City are next in action on Tuesday when they travel away to QPR in a 20:00 GMT kick-off.

The R's head into that game off the back of a 3-1 victory over West Brom on Saturday and have three wins in their last five matches.

Can Southampton pick up their winning ways when they welcome Birmingham City to St Mary's on Saturday (15:00 GMT)?

The Saints saw their high-scoring four match winning streak come to an end with a dramatic 3-2 loss to Millwall, leaving them five points adrift of the top six.

While for the Blues, the play-off spots are in sight. Just one point separates them and sixth placed Bristol City but winning away from home has proven tricky.

The West Midlands side have only picked up eight of their 28 points on the road (W2 D2) and will need to sort out their away form if they want to continue the challenge for promotion.

• There have been 19 goals scored in the last four league meetings between Southampton and Birmingham at St Mary's Stadium, with Saints scoring 12 and conceding seven (W3 L1).

• Birmingham have won just one of their last nine away league games against Southampton (D2 L6), beating them 2-1 in the Championship in August 2008.

• Southampton have scored 15 goals in their last five league games, one more than they had in their previous 17 combined. Saints are looking to score 2+ goals in six consecutive league games for the first time since between April and August 2011.

• Just 29% of Birmingham's league points this season have been won in away games (8/28). Only Watford (25%) have won a lower share on the road than the Blues.

• Southampton have dropped more points from winning positions than any other side in the Championship this season (15), losing 3-2 against Millwall despite scoring first last time out.