Preview: Birmingham City vs Derby County - prediction, team news, lineups

After a difficult match on the road, Birmingham City are back at fortress St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park for a Boxing Day clash with Derby County in the Championship.

Blues were dispatched 3-0 by Sheffield United last time out at Bramall Lane, whilst the Rams shared the spoils with relegation-threatened Portsmouth.

Match preview

Possessing aims of competing for promotion this season, Birmingham City are being held back from a genuine Premier League push by their woeful away record, with the Second City club extending their winless away run to seven matches at Sheffield United.

Blues have struggled massively at the beginning of second-tier trips and hit the self-destruct button once again in Yorkshire, with a catalogue of errors allowing the Blades to snatch a two-goal lead and a numerical advantage within 28 minutes.

Limping to a three-goal loss at Bramall Lane last weekend, Chris Davies's side dropped down to 14th spot in the Championship rankings ahead of Boxing Day's hosting of Derby, six points from Millwall in the lowest of the playoff spots.

With their away record the fourth-worst in the division, Birmingham have placed significant stress on matches at St Andrew's to keep their top-six hopes alive, with the hosts losing just one of 10 games in the Second City.

In the conversation for the division's Golden Boot this season, Jay Stansfield has scored seven of his eight Championship goals at home so far, with the 23-year-old operating in both the striker and number-10 role this term.

Following back-to-back losses for the first time this campaign at the hands of Middlesbrough and Leicester City in an East Midlands clash, Derby County have returned to a decent run of form as the festive period continues.

The Rams are now three games without a loss after a 1-1 draw with basement dwellers Portsmouth on Saturday afternoon, when an own goal from Hayden Matthews cancelled out Callum Lang's impressive Pompey opener.

Despite winning one of their last five second-tier clashes, Derby remain in the playoff picture and sit 12th in the Championship table, four points adrift of sixth-placed Millwall ahead of consecutive away battles to conclude the calendar year.

With five of their eight league wins arriving on the road so far, the Rams have been more efficient in away matches this season, smashing League One-bound Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 at Hillsborough on December 15.

Bagging a brilliant brace at the home of the crisis-hit Owls, Patrick Agyemang is stepping up to the goalscoring plate for Derby whilst Ben Brereton Diaz continues to stutter, with the American on five Championship strikes for the term.

Birmingham City Championship form: D W L L D L

Derby County Championship form: W L L D W D

Team News

After seeing red for a reckless tackle at Sheffield United last time out, Birmingham midfielder Tommy Doyle will now serve a three-game suspension.

As a result, Marc Leonard could be drafted into midfield alongside Paik Seung-ho, allowing Tomoki Iwata to remain at right-back.

Keshi Anderson is a doubt for Boxing Day after picking up a knock at Bramall Lane, meaning that Patrick Roberts is likely to re-enter the XI.

Derby boss John Eustace failed to provide an improved update on Carlton Morris recently, with the striker expected to be sidelined until February because of a hamstring strain.

Out of action for the past 11 weeks, Lewis Travis has returned to first-team training and is set to be eased back into serious action over the festive period.

Birmingham City possible starting lineup:

Allsop; Iwata, Neumann, Klarer, Robinson; Leonard, Paik, Roberts, Stansfield, Gray; Ducksch

Derby County possible starting lineup:

Zetterstrom; Johnston, Langas, Clarke; Ward, Thompson, Clark, Elder; Brereton Diaz, Agyemang, Brewster