Swansea v Birmingham: Sky Bet Championship predictions, free tips, team news

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Swansea have been one of the surprise packages in the Sky Bet Championship and they can stay among the pace-setters by defeating Birmingham at the Liberty Stadium.

Last season was a slow burner for the Swans, who were inconsistent for long periods but finished with a flourish, taking 18 points from their last nine matches.

It was hoped that a summer of calm would pave the way for a more serious promotion challenge but the Swans were rocked by the departures of key players Dan James and Oli McBurnie and manager Graham Potter.

Swansea chose former England Under-17s coach Steve Cooper as Potter's replacement and, on the evidence of the last few weeks, they appear to have made the right call.

Cooper's side are playing some delightful football and the attacking void is being filled by strikers Borja Baston and Andre Ayew, who have been brought back in from the cold.

Borja is an early front-runner in the second-tier scoring charts with four goals in four games and Ayew served a reminder of his qualities with two goals in the 3-1 EFL Cup first-round success at home to Northampton.

At their best the pair are capable of terrorising second-tier defences and their quality may be too much for Birmingham.

It has been a steady start to the season for the Blues, who have taken seven points from 12, but they are looking suspect on their travels.

They achieved a smash-and-grab 1-0 success at Brentford despite losing the shot count 15-1 but played no better at Nottingham Forest last Saturday and slipped to a 3-0 defeat.

Pep Clotet's side rose to eighth after a 2-0 victory at home to struggling Barnsley on Tuesday but they do not look like a top-half side and could be exposed this weekend.

Recommendation
Swansea
2pts Evs general
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Team news

Swansea
Nathan Dyer (hamstring) and Tom Carroll (hip) are doubts. Carroll played 45 minutes for Swansea's Under-23s on Monday.

Birmingham
Kerim Mrabti (hamstring) is a doubt and Jonathan Grounds (calf), Cheick Keita (hamstring) and Maikel Kieftenbeld (knee) are out.

Key stat

Swansea have lost only one of their last 14 competitive matches.

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