Friday night's Sky Bet Championship action sees Birmingham host Swansea. Tom Carnduff picks out a best bet for the game.
Birmingham v Swansea (St. Andrews, 1945 BST, Friday 17th August, Sky Sports Football)
Friday night's Sky Bet Championship action comes from the West Midlands - and Swansea will be full of confidence as they look to make it three wins from three this season.
Graham Potter's revival has seen victories over both Sheffield United and Preston, two teams who were contenders for the play-offs last season.
They travel to face a Birmingham side who are without a win this season, and were also knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Reading in midweek.
Swansea have power in attack, especially Oli McBurnie who is capable of finding the net at this level.
McBurnie bagged in that win over the Blades, and was denied from the penalty spot last time out too so could have made it two goals in as many games.
The 22-year-old comes into this season in good form following a positive spell in the second-half of the 2017/18 campaign, despite being in a relegated Barnsley side.
He scored nine goals in 17 Championship games - crucially netting a brace at St. Andrews the last time he came up against Birmingham.
This Birmingham side is one that has already conceded five goals in three games (in comparison to Swansea's one) and someone of McBurnie's calibre will thrive up against a defence that isn't the strongest in the league.
At 40/17, there is value in backing McBurnie to strike anytime - in a game that Swansea should emerge victorious from.
The Swans can be found around the 8/5 mark for victory, with 7/2 available on McBurnie/Swansea in the score/win double market.
Score prediction: Birmingham 0-2 Swansea (Sky Bet odds: 10/1)
Best bet: Oli McBurnie to score anytime at 40/17
Opta facts
- This is the first league meeting between Birmingham and Swansea since December 2008, a goalless draw at St. Andrew’s.
- The Swans were victorious in their last visit to St. Andrew’s, winning 2-1 in an FA Cup fourth round tie.
- Birmingham’s last win over Swansea – in September 2013 in a third round League Cup tie – was Garry Monk’s final match as a player, playing the full 90 minutes for Swansea.
- In the post-war era, Welsh sides have collected just four wins in 43 league visits to Birmingham – Swansea twice (March 1953 and March 1995) and Cardiff twice (December 1966 and January 2013).
- Birmingham manager Garry Monk has only lost two of his last 11 home Championship matches (W7 D2), losing just one as Blues manager (0-1 v Middlesbrough in March).
- Swansea haven’t won three consecutive league matches since their final three matches of the 2016-17 season in the Premier League.
Odds correct at 1530 BST (16/08/18)
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