Birmingham City 4-0 Preston North End: Key moments, man of the match, stats as August Priske stars in convincing home victory

Birmingham City picked up their first Championship home win of the season with a commanding 4-0 success over Preston North End.

The hosts were in complete control of the St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park contest throughout and opened the scoring in 34th minute through Liam Millar, who is up to five goal contributions since arriving on loan from Hull City.

Things got considerably worse for Preston before the referee could save them with the half-time whistle, as August Priske netted a two-minute brace to put Birmingham three goals ahead and in the clearest of waters.

Any faint hope of a second-period comeback for the visitors was extinguished by Stanley Mills's second yellow card following the restart, with Blues substitute Demarai Gray curling home an emphatic fourth to put further gloss on the result.

Victorious in back-to-back Championship games for the first time this season, Birmingham fly up to third spot in the standings after 10 matches, whereas Preston remain rooted to the foot of the table, winless under new head coach Graham Alexander.

SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT

Carter White live from St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park

After four straight chaotic home draws at the beginning of this Championship season, Birmingham were in the business of control for the entirety of tonight, with a first St Andrew's win of 2026-27 never in doubt.

There were question marks over whether Blues could break down an away team who would be happy to sit in and frustrate, however, those worries have been put to bed following a demolition of the division's bottom side.

Chris Davies's men added another string to their promotion-hunting bow and flexed their enviable squad depth on the flanks after gritty away victories so far, with the hosts bringing Patrick Roberts into the XI to torment a leaky Preston backline.

The Lilywhites have now lost eight of their opening 10 matches of the second-tier term, and two straight defeats since the end of the international break have demonstrated the enormity of the task that faces new head coach Alexander.

BIRMINGHAM CITY VS. PRESTON NORTH END KEY MOMENTS

34th min: Birmingham City 1-0 Preston North End (Liam Millar)

Birmingham's persistence pays off!

Once again, Blues are probing Preston down the right-hand side, where Roberts gets in behind the visitors' backline.

It looks as if the winger should shoot himself, however, he smartly cuts the ball across the box for Millar, who smashes a first-time effort past Daniel Iversen.

45th +2 min: Birmingham City 2-0 Preston North End (August Priske)

Priske gets onto the scoresheet in back-to-back matches!

A free-kick is taken short by Millar to Alex Cochrane, with the left-back delivering his trademark low delivery tantalisingly behind the Preston backline.

Whilst those of a Lilywhites persuasion stand still, Birmingham's Danish marksman is on the move, arriving onto the cross and finishing expertly.

45th +4 min: Birmingham City 3-0 Preston North End (August Priske)

A quickfire brace for Priske as Preston capitulate in the Second City!

Birmingham's mantra under Davies - press to score - is in full flow as Jhon Solis wins possession in Preston's half, with the ball eventually falling to Jay Stansfield.

Blues' poster boy passes sidewards to Priske, who fires a cultured strike from the edge of the box in off the post, with Iversen a helpless bystander in goal.

56th min: Stanley Mills (Preston North End) red card

And there goes any hope of a second-half comeback for Preston...

Mills bundles the ball past Bright Osayi-Samuel and flies into a challenge against Cochrane, but the 22-year-old catches the Birmingham defender, picking up his second yellow card.

A few Preston fans are heading towards the exit, and you cannot blame them for losing belief as their side hurtle towards a chastening defeat.

76th min: Birmingham City 4-0 Preston North End (Demarai Gray)

Gray arrives off the bench to pile the misery on Preston!

The Jamaica international takes up his usual spot on the left flank and cuts inside on his right foot towards the edge of the Lilywhites' box.

With plenty of time to compose himself, the 30-year-old places a trademark curler past Iversen, who is stranded in the middle of the visitors' net.

MAN OF THE MATCH - AUGUST PRISKE

Whilst Birmingham have an abundance of options in wide-attacking positions, the same cannot be said for central areas, mounting the pressure on Priske to be Blues' goal-getter this season.

That is a daunting role during his first full Championship campaign, however, the Dane looks up for the task on tonight's evidence, using his clinical instincts to grab a brilliant brace just before half time.

The 22-year-old has now netted three goals since returning from the international break and will be a deserved collector of the post-match praise, although the performances of Roberts, Millar and Cochrane were also exceptional.

BIRMINGHAM CITY VS. PRESTON NORTH END MATCH STATS

Possession: Birmingham City 76%-24% Preston North End

Shots: Birmingham City 19-6 Preston North End

Shots on target: Birmingham City 7-1 Preston North End

Corners: Birmingham City 6-3 Preston North End

Fouls: Birmingham City 9-13 Preston North End

WHAT NEXT?

Birmingham have moved further into the playoffs courtesy of a convincing victory on home soil, with Davies's men next hosting Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, hoping to record three consecutive wins.

Alexander's Preston return has started with back-to-back defeats and little reason for Lilywhites optimism, however, a trip to Wrexham on Saturday provides the Lancashire strugglers with a quick opportunity to respond.