Cardiff vs Birmingham Predictions

• Fewer than three goals have been scored in eight of Cardiff City’s last ten home league contests.
• Fewer than three goals have been scored in four of Birmingham City’s last five Championship away games.
• Cardiff have the lowest open play xG figure in the Championship.

Bluebirds and Blues unlikely to produce a classic

Cardiff City and Birmingham City are unlikely to produce a classic when they face off in the lunchtime clash at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday. The Bluebirds have taken the lead in both of their Championship games to date this term, holding on for a 1-0 opening weekend win over Norwich but succumbing to Reading’s rearguard action last weekend.

As a consequence of dropping back to defend their advantages, Steve Morison’s side can currently ‘boast’ the division’s worst xG figure from open play. Morison was unhappy with the attitude and mentality of his players at Reading and gave his fringe men a chance to step up in the Carabao Cup in midweek – but they failed the audition in a 3-0 home defeat to League One Portsmouth.

So, it’s fair to say all is not going to plan in the Welsh capital ahead of the Blues’ visit. John Eustace made as many changes as his Norwich counterpart Dean Smith for Tuesday’s cup trip to Carrow Road and cannot have been disappointed to see his relatively inexperienced team compete well in a tie decided by penalties after a 2-2 draw.

Visitors’ identity is to keep it tight on the road

He will recall the old warhorses of Troy Deeney and Scott Hogan up front and try to recreate the formula that helped City claim a 0-0 draw away to Luton a fortnight ago. Keeping things tight on their travels was part of Birmingham’s identity under Lee Bowyer too and four of their last five league games have seen fewer than three goals scored now.

That seems the best way to approach this from a betting angle as Cardiff are yet to really click in an offensive sense while Birmingham’s 2-1 home win over Huddersfield last week is now just one of three disappointing results for last season’s beaten play-off finalists under new boss Danny Schofield.

A 0-0 draw is favoured in correct score betting as the analytics show Cardiff have hardly been worth a goal at all this term while Birmingham have scored just twice in their last five away league matches.