Birmingham City welcome Blackburn Rovers to St Andrew’s Stadium in a Fourth Round replay in 2022-23 FA Cup.
The winner of this tie will visit Leicester in the Fifth Round with a Quarter-Final spot on the line.
Team News
George Hall is unlikely to be available for Birmingham City as he nears a first-team return after recovering from successive calf and hamstring injuries.
Troy Deeney (thigh), Harlee Dean (calf) and Marc Roberts (hamstring) remain absent.
Blackburn will welcome Daniel Ayala back into defence after he was suspended for the 2-2 draw at Ewood Park on Saturday.
Sammie Szmodics and Tyrhys Dolan meanwhile will be amongst various players looking to start if manager, Jon Dahl Tomasson opts to rotate his squad.
When is Kick-Off?
Birmingham City will host Blackburn at St Andrew’s on Tuesday 31 January in a 7:45pm GMT kick-off, albeit untelevised in UK.
Stat Attack
- Birmingham City are yet to lose to Blackburn in five previous FA Cup meetings (W4, D1).
- Blackburn have lost each of their three previous visits to Birmingham City in the FA Cup (L3).
- Birmingham have kept clean sheets in two of their three previous FA Cup ties at home to Blackburn, except for a 2-1 win in January 2020.
- Three of Birmingham’s four goals in this season’s FA Cup have been scored after half-time.
- Rovers have kept clean sheets in just two of their last five away games in the FA Cup (W2, D1, L2), dating back to November 2017.
Prediction
Despite producing two brilliant goals after pouncing upon poor defensive marking with clinical finishing, Birmingham should feel disappointed to have this replay because they did concede two sloppy goals yet can take heart from how energetic they looked in attack.
Having lost all four previous FA Cup ties and conceded first against Birmingham on Saturday, Blackburn could of easily lost hope yet they stuck in and responded with two well-executed goals but now need to refocus and tighten up defensively.
Both teams though will make changes so I do expect this game to be much tigher and more cagey, which could well suit Rovers who can afford to gamble more due to not playing again until Monday.
Prediction: Birmingham City 1-2 Blackburn Rovers
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