Preview: Birmingham City vs. Huddersfield Town - prediction, team news, lineups

While Blues last tasted success in late August, their visitors have gone five games unbeaten to inch up the Championship table.

Match preview

After playing out a goalless draw with Queens Park Rangers last time out at St Andrews, Birmingham City had over a week to wait before their next fixture, having already been dumped out of the EFL Cup by Cardiff.

Despite benefiting from plenty of time to prepare, the West Midlands side were beaten 2-0 by Norwich City on Saturday, conceding twice in a 15-minute spell after the break to come away empty-handed from Carrow Road.

Following two recent away losses - at Watford and high-flying Preston North End - John Eustace's side have accrued only four points on the road this season, but having fared better on home turf they may expect to finally end a worrying winless streak in midweek.

When they walk out on Tuesday, Birmingham will be aiming to avoid defeat in each of their opening five home games of a league season for only a second time in the last decade - and the last time they managed such a feat was five years ago.

Two wins and two draws in the second city see Blues occupying a mid-table spot in the Championship standings - two points above Huddersfield - and as they host local rivals West Bromwich Albion on Friday, back-to-back home fixtures perhaps provide a chance to climb higher.

Not only have Huddersfield lost just one of their last five league fixtures against Birmingham City - a 2-1 defeat at St Andrew's last season - the West Yorkshire club have not been beaten in consecutive visits there since November 2000.

Precedent is on their side, then, as well as recent form, because Saturday's 1-1 draw at home to Championship leaders Ipswich Town ensured the Terriers went undefeated through September.

Now unbeaten in three away matches - their best such run since early last year - Huddersfield had kicked off the Darren Moore era with a dramatic draw at Coventry City on Monday, before returning to the John Smith's Stadium for their first match since former boss Neil Warnock bade farewell to Town fans again.

It took a late equaliser to deny Moore his first victory, as Delano Burgzorg's drilled finish just after the hour mark was cancelled out by Ipswich's 87th-minute leveller. Letting two points slip also left Huddersfield just two above the drop zone with nine games played.

Nonetheless, with their unbeaten streak now standing at five, they can travel south confident of picking up points before Saturday's clash with Moore's former club Sheffield Wednesday.

Birmingham City Championship form:

W

D

L

L

D

L

Birmingham City form (all competitions):

L

D

L

L

D

L

Huddersfield Town Championship form:

L

W

W

D

D

D

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Team News

Faced with an ever-growing injury list, Birmingham boss John Eustace will be without several players again in midweek, after first-choice left-back Lee Buchanan missed Saturday's game due to an ankle injury sustained during training.

Now set to miss over a month, the ex-Derby County defender joins fellow summer signing Keshi Anderson on the sidelines, with Tyler Roberts (calf), Ethan Laird and George Hall (both hamstring) also unavailable.

Emmanuel Longelo deputises for Buchanan on the left, while current incumbents Kevin Long and Dion Sanderson battle it out with Emanuel Aiwu for two places at centre-back. Elsewhere, Scott Hogan should lead the line up front, and former Huddersfield midfielder Juninho Bacuna could be among those promoted to the hosts' starting lineup.

The away side, meanwhile, are set to continue with Darren Moore's new 3-5-2 setup, but injuries that forced off both Jonathan Hogg and Yuta Nakayama against Ipswich may call for a change of personnel.

Hogg was withdrawn with a tight calf and Sorba Thomas then also came off due to cramp, but both will hope to recover in time for Tuesday night's game.

Usually a winger, Delano Burgzorg led Huddersfield's attack at the weekend, and after scoring his second goal of the season he should reprise that role at St Andrew's.

Birmingham City possible starting lineup:

Ruddy; Drameh, Sanderson, Long, Longelo; Bielik, Bacuna; Burke, Stansfield, Miyoshi; Hogan

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:

Nicholls; Pearson, Helik, Ruffels; Thomas, Rudoni, Hogg, Wiles, Headley; Koroma, Burgzorg

We say: Birmingham City 1-0 Huddersfield Town

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