Preview: Birmingham City vs Sheffield United - prediction, team news, lineups

Both on course to fall short of pre-season promotion ambitions, Birmingham City and Sheffield United lock horns at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.

Blues picked up a much-needed victory over Queens Park Rangers earlier in the week, whilst the Blades suffered a damaging loss at the East Anglian base of Norwich City.

Match preview

Following three straight league defeats for the first time under the largely-successful reign of Chris Davies, Birmingham City responded in positive fashion on Wednesday night, securing a 1-0 win over confidence-stripped QPR in the Second City.

Blues made six changes from the lifeless loss at Charlton Athletic last weekend and two of those combined excellently after six minutes to snatch three points, with Ibrahim Osman crossing for fellow winger Patrick Roberts to net his fourth league goal of 2025-26.

After sixth-placed Wrexham failed to collect any points at home to Hull City on Tuesday, Birmingham have moved within five points of the playoff picture courtesy of their success over QPR, however Davies's men have played a game more than the Red Dragons.

Birmingham would be well in the hunt for promotion to the Premier League if the Championship standings were determined purely on home form, with Blues losing just two of their 18 league matches at St Andrew's this campaign.

The Second City club will be looking to avoid consecutive defeats to Sheffield United after their difficult trip to Bramall Lane in December, when a 3-0 defeat provided another painful indication that Davies's pre-January crop were nowhere near promotion quality.

© Imago / Focus Images

Missing out on promotion to the Premier League in the playoff final last May, Sheffield United have suffered a considerable fall from grace, with the Yorkshire club heading towards their lowest finish since being crowned champions of League One in 2017.

Guiding the Blades to a remarkable 100-point haul that season, Chris Wilder is still behind the wheel at Bramall Lane in 2026, stating that his current crop are 'missing something' required to post regular victories in the Championship.

Sheffield United have won just one of their last four second-tier battles to all-but end their hopes of mounting a late playoff charge, with Saturday's visitors sitting 13th in the league table, eight points back from Wrexham in sixth.

After a three-game unbeaten run on the road between late January and the end of February, the Blades were defeated by Norwich City on Wednesday at Carrow Road, where Jack Stacey and Amankwah Forson found the net for the Canaries.

Striving to avoid consecutive away losses for the first time since January, Wilder's troops are back at St Andrew's for the second time in 2025-26 following their first-round EFL Cup elimination at the hands of Birmingham in August.

Birmingham City Championship form:

Birmingham City form (all competitions):

Sheffield United Championship form:

Team News

© Imago

Birmingham are all out of specialised options at left-back, with Kai Wagner sidelined for a few weeks because of a knock.

Making his first start since September, Ethan Laird deputised in the left-back role versus QPR and should be given the nod once again.

Tommy Doyle is a doubt for Saturday's clash due to illness, whilst January signing August Priske faces a fitness test.

Starting on the bench at Carrow Road, Sheffield United's Tahith Chong will be looking to make an impact against his former loan club.

Keeping a clean sheet in the reverse fixture over the festive period, Blades goalkeeper Michael Cooper is sidelined due to a muscle injury.

Birmingham City possible starting lineup:

Beadle; Iwata, Klarer, Robinson, Laird; Paik, Solis, Roberts, Ducksch, Osman; Stansfield

Sheffield United possible starting lineup:

Davies; Seriki, Tanganga, Bindon, Burrows; Peck, Riedewald, Cannon, O'Hare, Brooks; Campbell

We say: Birmingham City 1-1 Sheffield United

After adequately dealing with a poor QPR side on Wednesday, Birmingham will be hopeful of building some consistency against Sheffield United this weekend.

The Blades are weakened significantly without the suspended Gustavo Hamer, however they should be good enough for a share of the spoils in the Second City.

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