MATCH OVERVIEW
Birmingham City welcomes Rotherham United to St. Andrew's Stadium for a pivotal League 1 match. Scheduled for February 1, 2025, at 3:00 PM GMT, this fixture is crucial for both teams as they navigate the mid-season challenges. Birmingham City, currently in a strong position, will aim to maintain their momentum, while Rotherham United looks to climb the league table with an away victory.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The average odds for this match are heavily in favor of Birmingham City, with a home win priced at 1.56, a draw at 3.99, and an away win for Rotherham United at 6.00. These odds suggest a 64% probability of a Birmingham City victory, a 25% chance of a draw, and an 11% likelihood of a Rotherham United win. Given these probabilities, Birmingham City is expected to dominate, but Rotherham's potential for an upset cannot be entirely dismissed.
TEAM ANALYSIS
Birmingham City
- Current Form: Birmingham City has been impressive this season, averaging 1.69 goals per match and maintaining a solid defense with only 0.69 goals conceded per game.
- Strengths: High possession rate (64.38%), effective passing (578.38 passes per game), and strong offensive metrics (1.29 xG).
- Weaknesses: Occasional lapses in defense, as indicated by their 0.84 xGA.
Rotherham United
- Current Form: Rotherham United has shown resilience, averaging 1.19 goals per match but conceding 1.15 goals per game.
- Strengths: Strong dueling ability (254.78 duels per game) and effective long passing (55.07 long passes per game).
- Weaknesses: Lower possession (47.67%) and passing accuracy compared to Birmingham.
Head-to-Head
Historically, Birmingham City has had the upper hand in this fixture, often leveraging their home advantage to secure wins.
KEY PLAYERS SPOTLIGHT
Birmingham City
- Jay Stansfield: Leading scorer with 12 goals, crucial for Birmingham's attacking prowess.
- Krystian Bielik: Key midfielder with a high CompaScore rating of 163.99, instrumental in both defense and attack.
Rotherham United
- Jonson Clarke-Harris: Top scorer with 6 goals, vital for Rotherham's offensive efforts.
- Louie Sibley: Midfield dynamo with a CompaScore of 156.45, pivotal in creating chances.
STATISTICAL DEEP DIVE
- Birmingham City: Superior in possession (64.38%) and passing accuracy, with a high number of successful passes (492.04 per game).
- Rotherham United: Strong in duels and interceptions, with a higher average of duels (254.78) and interceptions (39.74) than Birmingham.
PREDICTION AND CONCLUSION
Birmingham City is favored to win this match, given their superior form and home advantage. Key factors include their high possession and goal-scoring capabilities. Rotherham United will need to capitalize on set-pieces and counter-attacks to challenge Birmingham. Final score prediction: Birmingham City 2-1 Rotherham United.