Sports Mole previews Tuesday’s League One clash between Birmingham City and Bolton Wanderers, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Birmingham City will look to maintain their unbeaten home record in League One when they welcome Bolton Wanderers to St Andrew’s on Tuesday.
Having collected 25 points from 10 matches, the hosts are leading the way in League One, while the visitors are in 11th spot with 17 points to their name.
Match preview
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Birmingham, who are competing in the third tier for the first time since 1994-95, are currently two points clear at the top of the table after winning eight, drawing one and losing one of their 10 league matches.
Chris Davies‘s side enjoyed a seven-game winning run in the league before they were stopped in their tracks by a narrow 1-0 away defeat against Charlton Athletic.
They ultimately bounced back to claim all three points in Saturday’s away clash with Lincoln City despite conceding inside the first minute.
Keshi Anderson scored on either side of a Willum Willumsson to fire their side to a 3-1 victory, ensuring they have now won four of their five away league games this season.
The league leaders will now return to the familiar surroundings of St Andrew’s, with Tuesday’s hosts one of two teams yet to lose a home game in the third tier this season (W4, D1).
Birmingham will attempt to record a fifth consecutive home league win in their first meeting with Bolton since losing 1-0 in a Championship clash in February 2019.
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After losing in last season’s playoff final, Bolton made a slow start to the 2024-25 season, with their opening five league games producing one win, one draw and three defeats.
However, the Trotters have since sparked an upturn in results to win four of their last five league games (D1), including Saturday’s home victory over Shrewsbury Town.
Aaron Collins and Randell Williams grabbed a goal apiece to clinch a 2-1 home victory, moving Ian Evatt‘s side up to 11th place and one point adrift of the top six.
Having racked up 15 goals in their five-game unbeaten league run, Bolton may fancy their chances of troubling the league leaders in Tuesday’s difficult away fixture.
The visitors can certainly take confidence from the fact they have won three of their four away league games this season, including their last two away matches against Crawley Town and Northampton Town.
Birmingham City League One form:
Birmingham City form (all competitions):
Bolton Wanderers League One form:
Bolton Wanderers form (all competitions):
Team News
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Birmingham are expected to be without the services of Krystian Bielik, Lee Buchanan and Luke Harris due to their respective injury issues.
Jay Stansfield will have to be assessed after he missed the win over Lincoln with an injury he sustained while away with the England Under-21s.
Ayumu Yokoyama may be considered for a recall after he came off the bench to play over half an hour in Saturday’s victory.
As for the Trotters, they are expected to be without Eoin Toal, Chris Forino and Carlos Mendes Gomes due to injury.
Gethin Jones is closing on a return to action, but it remains to be seen whether he will be ready in time for Tuesday’s fixture.
Goalkeeper Luke Southwood is poised to start a third consecutive game, with Nathan Baxter unlikely to return for the midweek away trip.
Birmingham City possible starting lineup:
Allsop; Gardner-Hickman, Klarer, Davies, Cochrane; Iwata, Paik; Anderson, Willumsson, Yokoyama; May
Bolton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Southwood; Dacres-Cogley, Santos, Johnston; Williams, Dempsey, Sheehan, Collins, Schon; McAtee, Charles
We say: Birmingham City 3-1 Bolton Wanderers
Birmingham have taken 25 points from a possible 30 in League One this season, and while Bolton have put together a five-game unbeaten league run, we think the hosts will showcase their quality to claim a fifth consecutive home victory in the third tier.
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