Preview: Bournemouth vs. Birmingham City

The Championship promotion race is entering its final stretch and Bournemouth head into their home match against mid-table Birmingham City harbouring title aspirations.

The Cherries are just a point behind table-topping Middlesbrough ahead of kickoff, while 15th-placed Birmingham will be aiming to end the season with a flurry and push towards the top 10.

Bournemouth

Bournemouth have been the Championship's surprise package this season, emerging as unlikely promotion hopefuls thanks to their unwavering consistency and bold attacking play.

Eddie Howe's side underlined their title credentials last month by going unbeaten throughout March, winning four times in five attempts and netting 15 goals during that run.

They began April with a 1-1 draw against fellow promotion contenders Ipswich Town, and will be hoping to take more than a point off Birmingham, given that Norwich City and Watford are breathing down their neck.

Norwich and the Hornets are a point behind Howe's men, while the remainder of the top eight is equally tight.

Just six points separate Bournemouth from Wolverhampton Wanderers in eighth, so it would take no more than a few slip-ups for the Cherries to drop out of the playoff positions.

Recent form: WWWDWD

Birmingham

Birmingham's Championship campaign got off to a disastrous start, with a run of just two wins in 12 matches costing Lee Clark his position as manager.

The Blues looked odds-on to battle relegation come the end of the season when they crashed to an embarrassing 8-0 defeat to Bournemouth in October, but the appointment of Gary Rowett as head coach has since steadied the ship.

The Midlands outfit can look forward to another season in the second tier of English football as they head into the match 14 points clear of the relegation zone, although their form has been erratic of late.

Birmingham ended a run of three games without a win when they defeated Rotherham United 2-1 in their last outing, with Robert Tesche and Clayton Donaldson finding the net.

A win for the Blues against Bournemouth could see them move as high as 12th place in the table, providing other results go their way.

Recent form: WWDDLW

Team News

Birmingham's American defender Jonathan Spector is pushing for a recall against Bournemouth after missing the victory over Rotherham with a heel injury.

Andy Shinnie and Demarai Gray are expected to keep their place in the side after making a successful return to first-team action against the Millers.

Watford loanee Diego Fabbrini is in line for his full Birmingham debut after featuring as an unused substitute in his side's last outing.

Bournemouth have a selection headache up front, with Callum Wilson, Brett Pitman, Yann Kermorgant and Cardiff City loanee Kenwyne Jones all available to face the Blues.

Jones is in line to make his full debut after coming off the bench to score a late equaliser in the Cherries' draw with Ipswich.

Bournemouth possible starting lineup: Boruc, Francis, Elphick, Cook, Daniels, Ritchie, Surman, Arter, Pugh, Kermorgant, Jones

Birmingham possible starting lineup: Randolph; Caddis, Morrison, Spector, Grounds; Gleeson, Tesche, Cotterill, Shinnie; Gray, Donaldson

Head To Head

Birmingham were on the receiving end of an 8-0 thrashing when these two teams met in October, and will be hungry for vengeance.

Historically, it is Bournemouth who have the superior record when the sides are placed head to head, winning eight out of 15 competitive fixtures.

The Blues have won three, and four of those matches have ended in a draw.

We say: Bournemouth 2-0 Birmingham

Bournemouth are one of the Championship's teams to beat at the moment and have scored a lorryload of goals in recent weeks. Although Birmingham are no pushovers under Rowett, we can't see them holding off the onslaught against a side at the top of their game.