Birmingham vs Norwich Predictions

• Birmingham need to win to have any realistic chance of staying up
• Norwich will be secure in the play-offs with a point, but a defeat might not eliminate them
• Both teams have scored in three of Norwich’s last four games and Birmingham’s last game

Blues back in the last chance saloon

Birmingham enter the last chance saloon on Saturday when entertain Norwich knowing only a win is likely to be good enough to keep them in the Championship.

The Blues have been here before – too many times for their fans’ frayed nerves to cope with, but prior experience of the situation on and off the pitch could help them achieve their goal.

Norwich’s play-off prospects look good going into the weekend and David Wagner knows that they can almost certainly seal their top-six berth with a draw. The German once made wholesale changes in such a game while in charge of Huddersfield before guiding his team successfully through the playoffs, but it would be a massive risk to even consider that at St Andrew’s.

Canaries could lose control

Bar one good win over Coventry City the week before they played in the FA Cup semi-final, Birmingham have been underwhelming at home under interim boss Gary Rowett. But he is sure to have his players wound up for the occasion and that could count for something against a Canaries team that have only won two of their last eight on the road.

One scenario that could play out here is Norwich taking the lead and sitting back while keeping across results elsewhere. If Hull are not winning at Plymouth – a score which also affects the Blues’ fate – they could relax enough to let the home side take control.

In truth, there are too many variables to take into account, but both teams scoring looks as good a play as any with three of Norwich’s last four games and Birmingham’s last game all seeing goals at both ends.