Birmingham City slumped to a fifth defeat on the trot in the Championship when they found themselves on the end of a 3-2 loss away to west midlands rivals, West Brom last Friday night at The Hawthorns.
Birmingham City gave a good account of themselves at West Brom though, and can count themselves unlucky not to have walked away with a point, but the tides of fortune have changed for Birmingham in recent weeks, following defeats to Hull City, Aston Villa, Millwall and Preston North End.
Gary Monk’s side were also handed down a 9-point penalty for the club’s infringement of the EFL’s sustainability rules, so the hosts have now dropped down to 18th place in the Championship and just five points above the relegation zone.
However, Birmingham still possess dangerous goal threats in the shape of forwards Adams (21 goals) and Jutkiewicz (11 goals) up front, and the recent showing against West Brom suggests they should find the back of the net here in this clash too.
Just one home win from their last seven matches at St Andrews should also see the hosts step up their efforts at home here, and with a ‘siege-mentality’ along with their noisy fans behind them, The Blues are not down and out just yet.
By contrast, Leeds United recorded a fourth win from five matches last Saturday when they registered a 3-2 home win over Millwall at Elland Road which lifted the Yorkshire club up into the automatic promotion places once again.
Recent wins against West Brom, Bristol City, Reading and Millwall have helped Leeds United back into automatic promotion contention, and they’ll fancy their chances of avenging an earlier defeat to Birmingham City when they make their way to the west midlands this Saturday afternoon.
Leeds were handed a 2-1 defeat by Birmingham at Elland Road back in September, but since then, both clubs’ fortunes have changed in dramatic fashion as the hosts are now fighting relegation while Leeds continue to push for promotion to the Premier League.
Midfielders Hernandez (12 goals) and Klich (8 goals) along with forward-turned attacking left-back Alioski (7 goals) and Bamford (6 goals) carry the major goal threats for Leeds United here.
Leading goalscorer, Roofe (14 goals) continues to be sidelined through injury.
Birmingham City are now once again fighting for their lives but Leeds now have promotion in their sights and could just about edge this encounter.