Birmingham City receives Brentford on the last Saturday of the year. The home team is performing excellent. That can not be said of Brentford which is currently fighting against degradation. Many experts had thought that the roles would be reversed, but nothing is less true at the turn of the year. A look ahead!
Birmingham City:
Birmingham City is working on an excellent season. The club that in the past was plagued by financial problems because it had too expensive a household is still bound by strict financial rules regarding financial fair play. As a result, manager Garry Monk has a narrow selection, but the manager knows how to keep the players fit with his staff and to achieve good results. Last Wednesday, Stoke City was beaten 2-0 and with this win, Birmingham City has risen to seventh with only two points behind number six Derby County.
Manager Garry Monk was pleased with Stoke City after the match: “I am extremely proud of my players and their attitude. We did very well by winning twice within five days. After the victory at Wigan Athletic, today it is a performance that we win from title-candidate Stoke City. I said before this busy period that everyone should be top because we play four matches within eleven days. We took the first two hurdles of four. I welcome the three points and the support of the public. On Saturday we will go for three points again. ‘
Brentford:
Brentford earned the fourth point in five days last Wednesday. After the short-lived 1-0 home win of last Saturday’s Bolton Wanderers, Boxing Day caught a point at Bristol City. The afternoon started disappointing for Brentford when Eros Pisano put the home team ahead. A few minutes after half-time, it was again right through the fifteenth league goal of the French striker Neal Maupay.
Brentford did not make much progress with the point division. The club from London is working on a dramatic season. With the exception of the first months of this season, Brentford is performing as a relegation candidate. An eighteenth place in the ranking is too low for a club with high ambitions. It is currently only five points above the line. While the start of the season with fourteen points from six games was impressive. The fact that only twelve points were taken from eighteen games afterwards says much if not everything.
PREDICTION: Both teams to score / YES @ 1.72
