Birmingham City

Leeds United's comeback from 2-0 down to draw at Chelsea was just extraordinary, but I can smell an upset here.

I am sure Leeds boss Daniel Farke will make some changes because he will have at least half an eye on the Premier League and their next game against Aston Villa.

Birmingham City are going well under Chris Davies and are unbeaten in eight games in all competitions. This seems like a good time for him to take a top-flight scalp.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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Birmingham City have "nothing to lose" in "exactly the type of game we want" when they take on Leeds United in the fourth round of the FA Cup, says boss Chris Davies.

Blues, unbeaten in seven Championship games, will be hoping to continue their excellent form on Sunday against a Premier League side at this stage of the competition for a second season running.

Last term, as a League One club, Birmingham gave Newcastle United a huge scare before succumbing 3-2 at St Andrew's and Davies wants to see his side show the same spirit against Leeds.

"Like the Newcastle game, we need to make sure they feel the intensity of our stadium and everything we can bring," Davies told BBC Radio WM.

"We've got nothing to lose. We need to go after the game. People will be expecting the Premier League team to win.

"We have to enjoy it, go after them and show what we're capable of."

Davies said he had been studying Leeds, now six points above the relegation zone in the top flight, and liked what he saw.

"They've done so well in the Premier League, they're not scraping by in games, they're right in there. I've been really impressed," he said.

"It's exactly the type of game we want. Our players are really keen to test themselves."

Davies is set to rotate his squad and give the likes of August Priske and Demarai Gray more game time.

South Korea midfielder Paik Seung-ho is out for Blues as they wait to learn more about the shoulder injury he sustained early in the goalless draw with West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday.

Davies confirmed the 28-year-old is seeing a specialist next week and will be out for "a few weeks at least".

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Birmingham City will look to extend their eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions when they welcome Premier League side Leeds United to St Andrew's in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday (kick-off 12:00 GMT).

Blues have lost just one of their 11 games since Christmas (W5 D6) and are unbeaten in 11 matches on home soil since a 3-2 defeat to Hull City in the Championship on 18 October (W6 D5).

The Whites are also in relatively strong form, with just two defeats in their past 14 games (W5 D7) and they knocked out a second tier side in Derby County with a 3-1 away win in the third round.

• Birmingham City have won three of their past four home matches against Leeds, all in the Championship and all without conceding. The other match in this run saw Leeds win 5-4 in December 2019 under Marcelo Bielsa.

• Leeds United have progressed from four of their five FA Cup ties against Birmingham, knocking them out in 1971-72, 1976-77, 1997-98 and 2012-13 – the other was a 3-0 win for the Blues in the third round in 2004-05.

• Birmingham are looking to reach the FA Cup fifth round for the first time since the 2019-20 campaign – they have been eliminated in six of their previous seven ties at this stage.

• Leeds have now reached the FA Cup fourth round in the past four seasons – as many times as they'd managed in their previous 19 seasons combined. The Whites were knocked at this stage by Millwall last season but haven't gone out in the fourth round in consecutive seasons since 1992-93 (vs Arsenal) and 1993-94 (vs Oxford).

• Since January 2000, Leeds have been drawn away from home in 37 of their 47 FA Cup ties, including 16 of their ast 19 (including this tie). Among teams to play more than 10 ties since 2000, Leeds have comfortably been drawn away in the highest percentage (79%).

Birmingham City boss Chris Davies believes his side deserved to take all three points after being held to a goalless draw by West Bromwich Albion.

"It was a battle as we knew it would be but over the course of the game you would have to say it is pretty incredible we have not won that match," Davies told BBC Radio WM.

"There were moments around their goal, one handled off the line which was a certain penalty with VAR and one goalline clearance which was incredible. There were fantastic saves, we hit the post and we had a goal disallowed.

"It is frustrating that we didn't get the three points but we certainly did enough to win it.

"I really like how we finished and I have just told the players to get their heads up because they gave everything.

"Unfortunately we couldn't quite turn it into the three points but certainly from a performance there were a lot of positives."

Birmingham City will be eyeing a potential spot in the top six as they welcome West Midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion for Tuesday's headline act (20:00 GMT).

With just two points keeping them out of the play-off positions, Blues will be eager to exploit their home advantage to advance their promotion push against a Baggies side that have struggled on the road this season.

Albion themselves will feel they have a lot to play for though, with boss Eric Ramsay still seeking his first victory after his appointment in January and a goalless draw on the weekend keeping them out of the bottom three by just a single point.

• Birmingham City have won each of their last three home league games against West Bromwich Albion, only once before going on a longer winning run at home versus the Baggies in the Football League, winning six straight between April 1938 and April 1957.

• West Bromwich Albion have only won one of their last seven league matches away to fellow West Midlands sides (L6), beating Coventry City 2-0 in October 2023.

• Birmingham City have won eight of their nine midweek home games in the league under Chris Davies (Tue/Wed/Thu – D1), keeping seven clean sheets and scoring at least twice in eight of those matches.

• No team have lost more away games in England's top four tiers in the 2025-26 season than West Bromwich Albion (P16 W3 D1 L12), with the Baggies last losing more times on the road in a league campaign back in 2008-09 in the Premier League (13).

• Since the start of last season, Birmingham City have suffered fewer home defeats than any other side in England's top four tiers (1), while only Bradford City (27) have picked up more home wins than their 26.

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Birmingham boss Chris Davies was delighted his side showed patience before beating 10-man Leicester 2-1 to boost their play-off hopes.

Leicester's Bobby De Cordova-Reid was sent off after 32 minutes and Davies liked the way his Blues kept going before Jay Stansfield scored the winner midway through the second half.

Davies told BBC Radio WM: "I think we got off to a great start, Ossie's [Ibrahim Osman] press and finish got us going and we looked really bright at the start of the game, one-up. I like the way we started the game with a bit of intent.

"I was frustrated with their goal. It was a really nice finish from the winger, but we're frustrated we let that cross come in and then we didn't deal with the second phase.

"It was a definite red card and from then on, like I said to the players, it's really a mental game when it's 10 v 11 because you can get so frustrated and you can think it's going to be easy. But when you take the ball down one side of the pitch and they narrow off, they've got just as many bodies as they would normally have in that situation with 11.

"So it's about switching the play and really doing it at speed to try and make them run and open the gaps. In the end, the goal we got was an eye-of-the-needle pass from Marvin Ducksch, but we made them run and opened spaces that we exploited."

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Birmingham City boss Chris Davies says the club's busy transfer window last month does not change the high level of expectation at St Andrew's this season.

Blues brought in six new players in January and also turned Patrick Roberts' loan move from Sunderland into a permanent deal on deadline day.

The mini-rebuild has coincided with an improved run of form that has seen Birmingham take 11 points from the last possible 15.

"The expectation, for me, has been there constantly and regardless of what happened this January, I don't think I would've felt any different and I still don't," Davies told BBC Radio WM.

"We're hungry for success and we want to push and make progress.

"We've made progress in the last month and we've got a good week coming up at home [against Leicester City, West Bromwich Albion and in the FA Cup against Leeds United] and we just have to go for every game and enjoy it."

Among Blues' January captures was left-sided defender Jonathan Panzo, who arrived on deadline day until the end of the season from Portuguese side Rio Ave.

"He covers us really well and can earn his place in the team now - that's what I've said to him," Davies said. "We'll go from there and he was up for the challenge."

On Roberts, Davies said keeping the winger at the club was very much on his radar.

"There would have been a lot of teams at this level that would be very keen on Patrick if we didn't do it," he added.

"He's made an impact since he arrived and has been one of our best signings this season and will be a big one in these next few months."

Birmingham City take a five-match unbeaten run into Saturday's Championship meeting with managerless Leicester City.

Blues have taken 27 points from their 14 home games so far this season while the Foxes have failed to win any of their past five away trips in the league.

• Birmingham have won just one of their past 11 home league games against Leicester (D4 L6), beating them 2-0 in October 2011.

• Leicester have won each of their past five league games against Birmingham, their joint longest winning run against the Blues (also five between 1988 and 1993).

• Birmingham have lost just one of their past 39 home league games (W28 D10), going down 3-2 against Hull City in October.

• Leicester have conceded at least once in each of their past 24 Championship games, their longest run without a clean sheet outside of the top-flight since a 27-game run in the 1948-49 campaign.

• Marvin Ducksch has scored four goals in his past five league games for Birmingham, more than he had in his first 16 appearances for the club (3).

Richard Wilford
Senior journalist BBC Radio WM

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Birmingham were always going to be busy in the window but I am not sure any of us realised just how aggressive they would be.

Every major need was addressed from back to front, starting with the arrival of experienced German left-back Kai Wagner from Philadelphia Union. He has settled well.

Eye-catching moves for young Danish striker August Priske and powerful Spanish winger Carlos Vicente strengthen Chris Davies' attacking resources, as does the loan of Brighton wide-man Ibrahim Osman.

But the sneakiest acquisition could just be 21-year old Colombian midfielder Jhon Solis. Sturdily built and competitive, he also uses the ball quickly and positively, making an instant impact. If he makes enough appearances, his loan from Girona can be triggered into a permanent move and he looks very much Championship ready.

The deadline day recruitment of left-sided centre-back Jonathan Panzo on a short-term contract filled the remaining hole in the squad while making Patrick Roberts' move from Sunderland permanent is both fan-pleasing and well-deserved.

Some of those architects of last season's record-breaking promotion from League One were sacrificed as part of this semi-rebuild.

Marc Leonard is unlucky to be squeezed out but he may well thrive on loan at title-chasing Hearts. Lyndon Dykes and Willum Willumsson departed permanently having enjoyed some memorable moments during their time at St Andrew's.

Blues business in this notoriously fickle winter market hints at aspirations to make a strong push in the final third of the season. And it does nothing to lessen the expectations of the fanbase.

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Today is the final chance of the season for your Championship team to do transfer business.

The window closes at 19:00 GMT, meaning teams - and fans - can avoid the usual late-night transfer scramble.

It has already been a busy window - for some teams anyway - but whether it turns out to be a day of transfer action or a pretty quiet one for your club, you will be able to keep across it all on BBC Sport.

Follow our live text coverage throughout the day here

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Birmingham boss Chris Davies claims his Blues are answering all of their critics after they beat Oxford 2-0 to stretch their unbeaten run to six games.

Oxford's Myles Peart-Harris scored an own goal before Marvin Ducksch weighed in with his eighth goal of the season and Davies was delighted with his team's display.

Davies told BBC WM: "Obviously. I'm really pleased with the win, but I was thinking before the game that I wanted us to play well, I wanted us to have that level of control in the match.

"I emphasised that during the week and I think you could see that today. There was a good calmness and a good patience to our game. I think we had a good balance to our possession and that gave us a level of control, which I think was massive in winning the match.

"This calendar year we've looked more of a team. That's the first thing I've been emphasising to the players – you've got to be a team, you've got to work hard for each other and that gives you a chance of winning games in this league. We've looked like that in the last few games. Away from home was the question mark, but we've gone and done that. Here again, another clean sheet and a couple of goals and that's really good for the confidence."

Birmingham City will be more of a physical threat with the signings they have made in January, according to head coach Chris Davies.

Blues signed winger Carlos Vicente from La Liga side Deportivo Alaves for an undisclosed fee on Wednesday and Davies says there was a lot of competition for the 26-year-old.

"He's someone we'd looked at in the summer and have been following him for quite some time so we're really excited about him coming in," he told BBC Radio WM.

"As a club we've done well to attract a player of that quality as he had some good options and interest around Europe."

"The real attraction with Carlos is he's got the intensity we want - loves to run in behind, he's got speed, is a really good crosser but he's a winger who can score goals."

Vicente's arrival makes it five signings for Birmingham to go with the additions of striker August Priske, winger Ibrahim Osman, midfielder Jhon Solis and defender Kai Wagner.

"We've improved the physicality of the team - to a point where we tried to get everything done in that summer window but you can't do everything of where we wanted to go straight away," added Davies.

"I like the look of the physicality of the team now more than the past few months where in some away games, some situations we've looked lighter than the opposition, but we look like we're going to have more power and speed."

Birmingham visit Oxford United in the Championship on Saturday (15:00 GMT).