Solid Birmingham can leave Brentford singing the blues

3pm Saturday

Birmingham v Brentford

Garry Monk’s Birmingham have enjoyed a fantastic Christmas and they can make it three wins out of three by seeing off Brentford at St Andrew’s.

A 3-0 win at Wigan was followed by a 2-0 defeat of Stoke, and they look to be taking on the Bees at a good time.

While Birmingham have lost only one of 12 on their own patch, Brentford are one of three sides in the Championship still awaiting a first away triumph of the campaign.

• Sky Bet Championship standings

Hugely vulnerable defensively since Thomas Frank succeeded Dean Smith, they haven’t kept a clean sheet on their travels since April.

The Blues are purring, especially going forward, and the Bees will be devastated to see their former star Jota is fully fit after a month or so off and ready to add his class to an opposition attack led by the supreme Che Adams.

Recommendation
Birmingham
2pts 13-10 Betfred, Betway, Hills

Bet on this game at Soccerbase.com

Rochdale v Bradford

Bradford gave it their best shot and fell just short at a rocking Stadium of Light on Wednesday – but they can get something from an appreciably less hostile Spotland.

Pipped 1-0 by Sunderland in front of a 46,000 crowd on Wearside, the improving Bantams will find life considerably easier in front of 4,000 or so Rochdale fans.

• Sky Bet League One standings

David Hopkin’s men are still in Sky Bet League One’s bottom four but they were on a run of just one 90-minute loss in nine prior to their trip to Sunderland.

Dale are inconsistent and were definitely flattered last time out by a 2-1 triumph over a Blackpool side who played for an hour-and-a-bit with ten men. Keith Hill’s men boast a better record away than at home, which should further encourage the Yorkshiremen.

Recommendation
Bradford or draw double chance
2pts 23-20 Betway

Bet on this game at Soccerbase.com

Tranmere v Yeovil

Back-to-back road trips between Christmas and New Year are a pretty thankless ask and should encourage punters to believe Tranmere can see off Yeovil at Prenton Park.

Yeovil spent Wednesday nipping to and from Exeter, where they lost 2-1, and they follow that with a slog up the M5 and M6 to take on Tranmere at their fortress of a ground.

• Sky Bet League Two standings

Tranny have lost just one of their last ten at home in all competitions – pipped by Manchester City’s academy side in the EFL Trophy – and highflyers Lincoln and Exeter have both succumbed on a stage where the hosts have shipped just five in 12 in League Two.

Recommendation
Tranmere
3pts 19-20 bet365

Bet on this game at Soccerbase.com

Gillingham v Doncaster

The vagaries of life in League One were never better illustrated than when Portsmouth crashed 2-0 at Gillingham just four days after they’d thumped Sunderland 3-1.

Pompey looked a little hungover at Priestfield, where the leaders utterly bossed possession but barely produced any chances of note.

But that doesn’t mean Steve Lovell’s Gills should be expected to automatically follow up at home to Doncaster, who are also reeling from a 3-0 walloping at Fleetwood.

The bet looks to be Donny at 23-20.

The Gills got away with it against Portsmouth, where they managed to overcome the absence of crocked top scorer Tom Eaves. It looks like Eaves will be missing again today and no matter what happened in their last match, that’s a blow for the Kent side.

Donny are excellent on the road, where they have won five times in the league and also at Charlton in the FA Cup. Wednesday’s trouncing at Highbury was definitely a blip for Grant McCann’s men, who had been unbeaten in eight heading to the Fylde.

Recommendation
Doncaster
2pts 23-20 Betway

Bet on this game at Soccerbase.com

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