Preview: Leeds United vs. Birmingham City

Serious alarm bells are beginning to ring at Elland Road as Leeds United prepare to take on in-form Birmingham City this weekend.

Neil Redfearn's men have slipped to within one place of the relegation zone and could find themselves in the bottom three come the end of the week should results go against them.

Only two points currently separate them from 22nd-placed Millwall, although the Lions do face a tricky assignment against high-flying Ipswich Town if they are to drag themselves out of the drop zone.

Leeds will take heart from their most recent performance, however, as they battled to a respectable 1-1 draw away to a Bolton Wanderers side that is improving under Neil Lennon.

Despite that being a decent point, it stretched Leeds's winless streak to seven matches in all competitions, while they have only won twice in their last 18 outings.

They have also only scored three times in their last seven and will need to find a way to compensate for the departure of Stephen Warnock at the other end of the field.

However, having been hit with a transfer embargo, in addition to a number of other off-field troubles at the club, that may prove much easier said than done.

Charlie Taylor has filled in at left-back for the last two games and is expected to maintain his spot in the side this weekend, while Mirko Antenucci is likely to return up front.

Leeds are desperate for a player to hit the sort of form that Birmingham's Clayton Donaldson is currently enjoying, with the striker having netted five goals in his last two outings.

A hat-trick against Wigan Athletic last time out helped the Blues to a third straight victory in all competitions and a fifth in their last six games.

Indeed, Gary Rowett's improvement of the side has seen them surge from relegation candidates into the top half, and on current form the seven-point gap to the playoffs does not look insurmountable.

Birmingham have picked up 10 points from a possible 15 on the road under Rowett, in addition to their incredible FA Cup comeback to avoid an upset against Blyth Spartans earlier this month.

The visitors are unlikely to see any reason to change a winning formula, and could name the same XI that cruised past Wigan last time out.

Leeds:

Form in Championship: LLDLLD Form in all competitions: LDLLLD

Possible starting lineup: Silvestri; Byram, Cooper, Pearce, Taylor; Cook, Mowatt, Bianchi, Austin; Morison, Antenucci

Birmingham:

Form in Championship: LWWLWW Form in all competitions: WWLWWW

Possible starting lineup: Randolph; Caddis, Grounds, Morrison, Robinson; Shinnie, Davis, Gleeson, Cotterill; Gray; Donaldson

Sports Mole says: 1-2