Birmingham City

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Birmingham City boss Chris Davies said he is "used to the pressure" of the Blues hotseat after his side's play-off hopes faded with defeat on Saturday.

A run of one win in six, after a 1-0 defeat at Derby, left Blues five places and 10 points adrift of the Championship top six with just seven games of the season left.

Yet Davies insisted he was thinking only about on-field performances and results when asked if he felt those seven games could decide his future.

"I think when it comes to my position at the club I've always felt pressure as such from the very first day I got here," he told BBC Radio WM.

"If I wasn't in the top two of League One the whole time, or top of League One, then I wouldn't be here, so I'm kind of used to that.

"So I'm not really thinking too much about that. I think we have a responsibility to finish those seven games strongly regardless of what happens with me."

Davies is aware of the lofty ambitions of the club's American owners who last year unveiled plans for a new 64,000-capacity stadium.

But having got Blues back in the Championship in his first season and then in play-off contention in his second, the head coach stressed the need for a little context.

"When I came to this club I knew exactly where it was and what it looked like - it wasn't in the Championship," he said.

"But, of course, we want to make sure that we're making progress each season and that's what we have to look to do."

Birmingham City boss Chris Davies spoke to BBC Radio WM after Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Derby County.

"It was very disappointing again. We deserved nothing from the match, and that's what we got," he said.

"I think first half we were well short, we didn't look a threat, we weren't strong enough and we conceded a poor goal.

"In the second half I thought we were better in terms of getting up to their box and general play - we had a lot more of the ball, without a cutting edge.

"It was definitely an improvement on a very poor first half. But in the end you lose the game 1-0, which was a fair result."

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Birmingham City boss Chris Davies has heaped praise on striker Marvin Ducksch after his goal against Sheffield United made him the side's top scorer this season.

The German took his goal tally into double figures when he scored the opener in the 1-1 draw with Sheffield United on Saturday, one more than the club's next highest scorer Jay Stansfield [9].

"He isn't that all-action player that you constantly notice in a game, he can look like he's not involved and then he can pop up," Davies told BBC Radio WM.

"If he gets a chance, he's good finisher. He's scored goals when he's got chances. He's got that extra bit of quality.

"Around the box, that little moment of quality - they are things I can't get away from.

"They change games and we've got make sure we keep a hold of that and fit things around them."

Left-back Kai Wagner remains out with a shoulder problem and will miss the game against fellow play-off chasers Derby County on Saturday (15:00 GMT) but Davies is hoping for him to "push on" over the international break.

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Jobi McAnuff believes just five teams are fighting it out for two Championship play-off spots.

In the latest edition of the BBC's 72+ EFL podcast, Aaron Paul and McAnuff were joined by AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson discuss the top stories from the EFL.

Watford's 3-1 win over Wrexham on Tuesday opened the door for Southampton to take over the Welsh side's top-six spot - and they did so, winning 1-0 against Norwich on Wednesday.

Watford are ninth, five points behind the Saints with eight games to go, while Birmingham are a further two points behind in 10th.

McAnuff said: "Watford are still in the mix. I feel like seven points feels a bit too big at this stage of the season. Birmingham feels a little far away.

"Southampton are the ones I believed would come through and get a play-off place.

"A couple of weeks ago I'd have said there's only one place up for grabs (sixth). That's changed now, (fifth-placed) Hull have been really inconsistent so they have been brought into it a lot more.

"You've got Easter coming up, six points can go in a week. You have a quick turnaround. If you can put a run of games together you can really jump up four or five places in the space of a few days. Anyone down to Watford (can make it), Birmingham feels a little too far away at this stage."

Play-off chasers Derby County and Birmingham City will face-off at Pride Park on Saturday (12:30 GMT) in hopes of strengthening their promotion bids.

The Rams are just three points adrift of current sixth placed Southampton, albeit their goal difference will likely mean they won't be able to sneak into the spot this weekend even if results elsewhere do go their way.

While Birmingham have some work to do with seven points to make up and could find themselves out of contention soon if they can't find some much needed victories, especially on the road.

• Derby are winless in their last four league games against Birmingham (D2 L2), last having a longer run without beating them between 1996 and 2009 (7 games – D3 L4).

• Birmingham and Derby drew in this season's reverse fixture (1-1 on Boxing Day 2025), despite the Blues having their highest possession average (73.7%) and second-most shots (25) in a Championship match this season.

• Derby have won their last three home games in the Championship, while they last won four in a row in the competition in January-February 2021 under Wayne Rooney (4).

• Only Sheffield Wednesday (13) have scored fewer goals in Championship away games than Birmingham (15) this season. Indeed, the Blues have lost and failed to score in their most recent two (0-3 v Millwall and 0-1 v Charlton).

• Derby have the most Championship wins in games with fewer than 40% possession this season (12), including doing so in their most recent league outing (1-0 v Portsmouth with 32.5% possession).

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There have been plenty of contentious decisions in the 2025-26 Championship season so far.

Offside goals given, perfectly good goals ruled out, red card offences missed, penalties not given, dubious spot-kicks awarded. You name it.

With the video assistant referee (VAR) only used for the play-off final, the outcome of every second-tier game in the regular season can hinge on how on-field officials see incidents in real time.

• Would you want VAR introduced for every league game in the Championship?

• If so, why?

• And if not, let us know your reasons.

You can share your thoughts on VAR here or comment below, and we will publish a follow-up article soon with a selection of your responses.

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Birmingham City winger Patrick Roberts says "the belief's still there" that they can clinch a Championship play-off place this season.

Blues were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by 10-man Sheffield United at St Andrew's last weekend - a result that left them seven points adrift of sixth spot with eight games to play.

Chris Davies' side had looked in good shape to claim an important three points once Marvin Ducksch put in them in front, two minutes after Blades defender Femi Seriki was sent off for bringing down a clean-through Ibrahim Osman.

But James Beadle had to save Sydie Peck's penalty two minutes later to keep Blues ahead, only for Patrick Bamford to equalise right on half-time.

Despite having 18 shots, with seven on target, forcing seven corners and hitting the woodwork four times, Birmingham could not muster a winner.

Roberts said being pegged back just before the break was "a real killer" and they had fallen the wrong side of the game's "fine margins".

"[They] are what separates being up at the top and where we are at the minute," he told BBC Radio WM.

"We've got a few big games coming up so we need to really capitalise on that and put a good run together."

Despite the current gap to Wrexham in the final play-off place, Blues remain confident they can put a telling run together.

"Of course," Roberts said.

"I've been in this league so long. I've been down the bottom, I've been down the middle, I've been up in the play-offs and you just never know.

"So there's a lot of football still to be played, you pick up a lot of wins then you just never know at the end of the season.

"The belief's still there, the manager has belief in us, us as players have belief. It's just about getting on the pitch and doing it. We are good players, we are a good team, we know that.

"I think putting the ball in the back of the net has been a task but I think we need to do more of that and I'm sure that will come."

Birmingham City manager Chris Davies revealed of his "frustration" after his side's 1-1 draw at home to 10-man Sheffield United on Saturday.

Blues' Marvin Ducksch broke the deadlock shortly after Femi Siriki was dismissed for a clumsy challenge on Ibrahim Osman in the 23rd minute but the visitors equalised in first half stoppage time through Patrick Bamford.

Despite waves of attacks in the second half and a one man advantage Birmingham were unable to break through United's stern defence.

"Obviously there's a frustration there because in a game we felt we should win," Davies told BBC Radio WM after the game.

"I think we started pretty well, even up until they had the red card and obviously get a goal straight from it and you think right, now we just need to keep pushing and try and get that second goal.

"So we concede a really sloppy goal just on the stroke of half-time. It gives them something to hang on to, gives them a certain belief.

"Then it was just a case in the second half, could we score a goal? It was one-way traffic, obviously.

"We hit the bar and post a few times in the match, but fine margins, a few inches either way, and it goes in and we win that game comfortably but we just didn't do enough to score."

Birmingham City boss Chris Davies says it has been an "eventful season" for Blues ahead of Saturday's visit of Sheffield United.

Davies' side, who overcame QPR 1-0 last time out, are 10th in the table and hope to have Tommy Doyle back in the squad to face the Blades.

"Kai Wagner won't be there, Tommy [Doyle] and August [Priske] have done some training so we're hoping to see how they react to that, but they've both had a bit of illness," he told BBC Radio WM.

"Tommy is looking likely to be in the squad and we'll see how August is, they were the main ones. We won't see Kai Wagner until after the international break."

Davies says "everything is easier" on the back of a victory and they need another three points to stay in touch with the top six.

"There's a much needed boost around the place and the players are looking forward to this next one," he said.

"It's a league like no other. You've obviously got the Premier League with the quality but the disparity between the top and bottom is quite big here.

"I said at the start of the season, I genuinely think that out of the 24 teams in the Championship, 20 of them think they're going to get promoted that year or think that they're going to have good chance or they've got the squad that can do it.

"There's a very small amount that are just there to survive and the means that there's not a lot between the teams."

He added: "That's why it's such an entertaining league, then the volume of games make the fatigue aspect important. Injuries, keeping players fit, there's so much that goes into it and it makes it for an interesting league with some really good players.

"It's a fascinating league. We've had a very eventful season it feels like to me, but I'm sure if you went around the other clubs they'd say exactly the same.

"I was told once that the most important thing with football is to have resilience and I think that is very important. You need to have resilience in this league because you're going to get a few punches and you've got to be able to bounce back to shape very quickly."

Birmingham City will hope to close in on the play-off spots as they host Sheffield United on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Blues currently sit five points adrift of the top six but have an imperious record at St Andrew's, only losing on home soil twice this season.

The Blades are not too far off themselves though, with eight points separating them from sixth placed Wrexham and they will be hoping it's not too late to mount a promotion push of their own.

• Birmingham have lost their last two home league games against Sheffield United, as many as in their previous 16 home games against the Blades combined.

• Sheffield United are looking to complete a league double over Birmingham City for the first time since the 1970-71 campaign.

• Birmingham have won eight of their last nine league games against United teams – but their one defeat in that run was a 3-0 loss to Sheffield United earlier this season.

• Sheffield United's Chris Wilder has won his last three Championship games against Birmingham City by an aggregate score of 8-0.

• Patrick Bamford has netted five goals in seven Championship starts against Birmingham City, including each of his last two in January 2024 for Leeds and December 2025 for Sheffield United.

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Birmingham City head coach Chris Davies hailed a "very pleasing night" for his side as they moved back into play-off contention with a 1-0 win over QPR.

Blues had lost three in a row before Wednesday evening, but Patrick Roberts' first-half goal earned them a deserved win in a match they dominated.

Davies told BBC Radio WM: "I just said to the players the only thing you could say is we could have got more goals - three or four probably.

"We had 21 shots at goal, first half in particular there was a lot there for us. Even towards the end there were some big chances.

"We should have probably scored more than just one goal.

"I was really pleased with how we played. We have had a few punches in the face in recent weeks and we had to show a certain amount of character tonight.

"I really liked how they did, we had a real intent to our attacking play, our defending was aggressive. [It was] a very pleasing night."

Birmingham, who are now five points off Wrexham in sixth, host Sheffield United on Saturday.

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Birmingham and QPR will seek to stop the rot and get back on track as they meet at St Andrew's on Wednesday night (19:45 GMT).

Blues have lost three straight games for the first time this season to slip to 12th, eight points adrift of the play-offs, having played a game more than sixth-placed Wrexham.

Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Charlton means they have scored only once and conceded seven goals in that run.

QPR have also lost three in a row by a combined score of 11-0.

Sunday's 4-0 home humbling by Middlesbrough left them 16th, two points behind Blues, while their last away game was a 5-0 defeat at Southampton.

• Birmingham have lost their past two league games against QPR, last losing three in a row against them in April 2018.

• Having won just nine of their first 43 league games against Birmingham (21%), QPR have now won 12 of their past 22 against the Blues (55%).

• Birmingham lost 3-1 in their last home league game, last losing consecutively at St Andrew's in March 2024 (3 in a row).

• QPR have won just one of their past nine away league games (D4 L4), beating Hull City 3-1 last month.

• Birmingham's Jay Stansfield has been involved in 11 goals in his past 14 home league games (7 goals, 4 assists, despite scoring just once in his past nine at St Andrew's.

Birmingham City boss Chris Davies says Saturday's narrow 1-0 defeat by Charlton Athletic at The Valley leaves the play-offs looking "unlikely" for his side.

Blues were beaten by Charlie Kelman's 74th-minute goal following a long throw and inflicted a third straight league loss on Davies, in his 100th game in charge, for the first time since taking over at St Andrew's in the summer of 2024.

The result left Blues 12th now eight points off the top six with 10 games to go.

"I think it would be unlikely that we'd go and make the play-offs with the amount of points we'd have to get," Davies told BBC Radio WM.

"We'd have to have some incredible run, which I know been done here before, but first things first, we need to get back to winning ways.

"It was another disappointing result. We didn't do enough to win the game. It was a game of very, very few chances.

"We had some decent situations in the second half but didn't capitalise on when we had the momentum.

"It's such a soft way to lose - from a long throw into the box, bouncing ball, scrappy goal. It's very frustrating.

"We've got to do more. We can't expect to win gets if, in those critical moments, we don't defend well enough.

"I'm really frustrated. It was a game we let get away from us and I expected more. We've got to learn and we really need to pull together now and finish the season strong."