Birmingham City vs Southampton: How to Watch, Betting Odds & Prediction

(Featured image: Alamy Images)

Written by: Liam Davis

Birmingham City host promotion-chasing Southampton at St. Andrews on Saturday in a game which could have implications at both ends of the Sky Bet Championship table.

Mark Venus will again take interim charge of The Blues with Tony Mowbray set for a period of 6-8 weeks out of management for medical treatment.

How to Watch Birmingham vs Southampton in the UK:

The game is not being televised live in the UK. Highlights of the match will be broadcast via ITV on 'English League Football Highlights' on Saturday.

Team News:

Birmingham could revert to the back four of Drameh, Roberts, Bielik and Laird that saw them beat Blackburn and Sunderland in recent weeks.

The Blues have proceeded with a 4-2-3-1 formation for most of the season with Andre Dozzell and Paik Seungho controlling the centre of the park. An attacking three of local man Jordan James, Wales' Tyler Roberts and Japan's Koji Miyoshi will likely be led by Fulham loanee Jay Stansfield. The latter has already bagged nine goals this season.

Southampton manager Russell Martin clearly headed to Anfield with this fixture in mind after resting key players against Liverpool in the FA Cup. The likes of Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Adam Armstrong and Che Adams all were benched at Anfield but are expected to return to the starting eleven on Saturday.

"An update on the Gaffer, his surgery was successful and he's getting stronger now. The lads are always asking about him so it's given us confidence.

"The Southampton game will be a great occasion and I'm really looking forward to it." 💬

Mark Venus pic.twitter.com/bDwkUMrOTo
— Birmingham City FC (@BCFC) February 29, 2024

Recent Form:

Birmingham have two wins in their last three matches and will be looking to build on this form to drag them further away from the relegation places. The Blues were on the losing side last time out however, succumbing to a 3-1 away loss to promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town. The result left them in 18th position, only three points above the dreaded drop zone.

Southampton find themselves five points adrift of the automatic promotion spots in fourth following a run of poor form that has seen them lose three of their last four league games. Russell Martin's side will be eager to return to winning ways after a 3-0 FA Cup defeat to Liverpool midweek as they continue to hunt down table-topping Leicester City.

The two sides last met in October where the Saints ran out 3-1 home winners at St. Mary's.

Betting Odds:

It should come as no surprise to see Southampton enter the match as healthy favourites. Both Coral and QuinnBet have them at near evens (11/10) to win on the moneyline, with an implied probability of 47.62%.

Birmingham meanwhile enter as 3/1 underdogs with Bet365, carrying an implied probability of 25% heading into the game on Saturday afternoon.

Prediction:

Many would’ve written this fixture off as a clear Southampton win but due to recent form neither side can afford a loss heading into March.

OddsNow expect both to create opportunities and take the game to their opposition which means a high scoring game is likely but ultimately anticipate a score draw at St. Andrew's.