Birmingham vs Middlesbrough preview: Championship clash live on Sky Sports Football

Live on

Birmham vs Mboro
Sky Bet Chship
7:45pm Friday 4th October

St. Andrews Stadium

Birmingham face Middlesbrough at the Sky Bet Championship on Friday, live on Sky Sports Football.
Birmingham welcome back Jacques Maghoma along with Marc Roberts . Defender Roberts missed the defeat at Wigan while winger Maghoma had been so also rested as he fights with a calf problem.
Boss Pep Clotet has verified the duo are in contention, stating:Marc and Jacques are great, no issue. Recent signing Josh McEachran can begetting closer to becoming involved, with another U23 run-out pencilled in for Friday.
Middlesbrough will assess the fitness of arriving midfielder Jonny Howson before the excursion. Tuesdays 1-1 draw at home to Preston has been Howsons very first game in 3 weeks following hernia operation and boss Jonathan Woodgate will be keen to facilitate him back softly.
Howson was among four changes into Boros starting line-up in midweek, together with Marcus Tavernier, Marcus Browne and Daniel Ayala also coming in. Even though Woodgate has signaled a shift in strategy, they impressed and will hope to keep their starting spots. You can not always be pretty and nice, he said. Sometimes youve got to grind it out, graft and also do the nasty things of this game and well be doing this on Friday.
Neither side comes into this game in the top of form. Middlesbrough have not 13 points so far this year than Birmingham, but have lost three matches on the twist. Wigan, Derby and Preston have defeated them in a row, going to this battle.
Middlesbrough will also be without a win in three, but did pick up a point at home to Preston in midweek to finish a streak of two straight defeats, including a 4-1 beating in the home to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday. They begin the weekend 20th in the table.
Pep Clotet:I put myself under increasing strain to win since I believe we have the ability within this club to not just bounce back but to turn effects. I really dont feel any sort of pressure from the club or any component of it – we are very conscious where we come from, all of the work we needed to place in the summertime, how the scenario was.
We are focused on the simple fact that still the team managed to do the best start in 11 years, we are just four points off the play-offs, we have more points than a year. I think its a moment where all of us need to sit down, calm down and concentrate a great deal on trying to find the outcome against Middlesbrough.
Jonathan Woodgate:Its not how you start the season its how you end. I think thats the thing that is significant. I was chatting to Alex (Neil) after the Preston game and he said last year they had five points after 10 games.
Its important you ride out, you remain together as a club and the fans remain together, they stay patient, I know that its difficult for them, but thats exactly what you want.
Woodgate was Real Madrid, won England caps and played in the Champions League, however nothing in his own profession has so much felt better to him than leading his hometown club as a director.
The former defender took control in the summer after the departure at the club. He understands the significance of the club.
Merely getting the job in the first place made me immensely proud, Woodgate informed Sky Bet. To be the director of my hometown club, who Ive supported since I was six, it is a gigantic accomplishment for me personally.
Birmingham are having an inconsistent campaign. At moments they have appeared like they could have a push for the top ten and excellent, and other times they seem like they might easily slide towards the relegation zone.
Middlesbrough fans are going to want to provide Jonathan Woodgate time to get things right because of his connections with the club, but 20th at this stage is not good enough for them. I believe that one will be nicked by that the Blues.
David Prutton predicts: 1-0 (11/2 with Sky Bet)

Read more here: http://ytchiang.com/wordpress/?p=6514