West Bromwich Albion vs Birmingham City Prediction: Both teams were defeated in FA Cup

West Bromwich Albion will welcome Birmingham City at The Hawthorns in Game Week 30 of the English Championship. Both teams were defeated in the Fa Cup fourth round. Who will come out on top after 90 minutes?

West Bromwich Albion form

West Brom suffered their first loss against Wolves at The Hawthorns since 1996 in the FA Cup on Sunday. Goals from Pedro Neto and Matheus Cunha secured Wolves' spot in the last-16 stage, but the match was marred by unpleasant scenes in the stands. This defeat marks West Brom's second consecutive loss since December, where they failed to score in both matches against Norwich City in the Championship and Wolves in the FA Cup. To strengthen their attack in the final stages of the transfer window, West Brom has signed Callum Marshall on loan from West Ham United. Marshall has been successful in Premier League 2 matches this season, scoring 16 goals in just 10 games. Currently sitting in fourth place, West Brom's main focus for their remaining 18 matches will be to fend off the competition from the chasing pack. Sunderland, managed by Michael Beale, is currently two points behind in seventh place. West Brom has faced a recent losing streak against Birmingham, their rivals from the blue side of the Second City. In their last four clashes, Corberan's men have fallen to a 3-1 defeat at St Andrew's at Knighthead Park earlier this season, after enjoying a nine-game unbeaten run against Birmingham from 2010 to 2021.

West Bromwich Albion Predicted Lineup

Palmer; Furlong, Bartley, Kipre, Townsend; Yokuslu, Mowatt, Wallace, Swift, Fellows; Thomas-Asante

Birmingham City form

Tony Mowbray experienced his first defeat as the manager of Birmingham during their match against Leicester, who are set to be promoted to the Premier League next season under the leadership of Enzo Maresca. Despite the 3-0 loss, 5,000 Birmingham fans, along with owner Tom Wagner, returned to the West Midlands with their optimism intact. In the first half, Birmingham had complete control of the fourth-round contest, but failed to convert their chances, allowing Jamie Vardy, Yunus Akgun, and Dennis Praet to score in the second half. After Wayne Rooney's unsuccessful tenure, Mowbray, a former West Brom manager, has brought his extensive experience in the second-tier to Birmingham, who currently sit in 20th place in the Championship standings, seven points ahead of Queens Park Rangers in 22nd. Mowbray aims to transform Birmingham into an attacking side that can dominate matches. The club has made ambitious moves in the January transfer window, bringing in Andre Dozzell, Paik Seung-ho, and Alex Pritchard to strengthen their midfield. One positive outcome of Rooney's time at St Andrew's was the growth of Wales international Jordan James, who has gained attention from Serie A side Atalanta BC during the current window, following his debut in 2021.

Birmingham City Predicted Lineup

Etheridge; Laird, Bielik, Aiwu, Buchanan; Sunjic, James, Miyoshi, Pritchard, Dembele; Stansfield

West Bromwich Albion vs Birmingham City Expert Tips

West Brom exhibited potential against Wolves in their previous match, despite the loss, and are eager to return to winning in their upcoming game. Birmingham may present a new appearance with several January recruits expected to make their first appearances, leading us to believe that they will secure a draw at The Hawthorns.