Europe (UEFA)
Indonesia
Nigeria

Burton Albionvs.BirminghamBirmingham City

sportsmole.co.uk, 14 July 2022, 09:53
Burton Albion and Birmingham City will continue their preparations for the 2022-23 season with a friendly encounter at the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's side went down 1-0 to Nottingham Forest last time out, while the visitors played out a 1-1 draw with Portuguese outfit Portimonense.

Match preview

Only a Steve Cook goal could separate League One mainstays Burton Albion and newly-promoted Premier League side Nottingham Forest during their most recent pre-season friendly, so it came as no surprise to see Hasselbaink upbeat following the final whistle.

The 50-year-old insisted that there was much to like about his side's performance on the day, which came after Burton Albion had suffered a 4-2 loss to Hibernian in their opening pre-season friendly before claiming a 2-1 success over Stratford Town.

A Burton Albion XI will face Mickleover the day before the visit of Birmingham, but one can assume that Hasselbaink will deploy his strongest troops for the Bass Charity Vase game on Saturday, and the friendlies are coming thick and fast for the Brewers.

Brackley Town, Sheffield United and Belper Town will all do battle with Hasselbaink's outfit before they commence their League One season against Wycombe Wanderers on July 30, and Birmingham will certainly provide stern opposition this weekend.

An early trip to Portugal would be an ideal way to start a new job in any sector, and newly-appointed Birmingham City manager John Eustace oversaw a week-long training camp in the sunshine before a good workout against Portimonense on Tuesday.

One week after scoring the winner in a behind-closed-doors fixture with Walsall, Scott Hogan found the back of the net again for Birmingham in the 33rd minute of the contest at the Estadio da Nora, which came after Ewerton had put the home side ahead.

The Blues will now seek to extend their unbeaten pre-season run to three matches amid continued off-field uncertainty surrounding Laurence Bassini's proposed takeover, with Lee Bowyer being relieved of his duties earlier this month as part of the major St Andrew's shake-up.

Cheltenham Town and Rayo Vallecano will also lock horns with Birmingham as part of their pre-season preparations, and the Blues' most recent clash with Burton Albion in the 2017-18 Championship season ended with the spoils shared at 1-1.

Burton Albion Club Friendlies 1 form:

Birmingham City Club Friendlies 1 form:

Team News

Burton centre-back Sam Hughes continues to build up his match fitness after recovering from a devastating ACL tear, and the 25-year-old lasted 82 minutes of the recent loss to Forest.

Hasselbaink did not pick up any fresh injury problems in Tuesday's defeat, and he was not averse to hand minutes to a couple of trialists against Premier League opposition.

The hosting manager jokingly laughed off a question surrounding Viljami Sinisalo's potential debut after the defeat to Forest, with the Finnish goalkeeper arriving on loan from Aston Villa earlier this week.

Meanwhile, Birmingham starlet Adan George - who recently committed himself to a new contract at St Andrew's - is still working his way back from an ACL injury and was not involved against Portimonense.

Loan signings Dion Sanderson and Przemyslaw Placheta both completed one half each on Tuesday, and the Blues are also supposedly set to sign Arsenal centre-back Auston Trusty for the 2022-23 season.

The 23-year-old is not expected to join in time to take part on Saturday, where Sanderson and Marc Roberts ought to act as the centre-back pairing from the off. Jobe Bellingham - younger brother of Jude Bellingham - could come on as a substitute at the Pirelli Stadium.

Burton Albion possible starting lineup:

Sinisalo; Hamer, Shaughnessy, Oshilaja, Hughes, Kokolo; Taylor, Lakin, Keillor-Dunn; Moult, Ahadme

Birmingham City possible starting lineup:

Etheridge; Graham, Roberts, Sanderson, Colin; Bacuna, Woods, Bailey; Leko, Deeney, Hogan

We say: Burton Albion 1-2 Birmingham City

Burton Albion held their own against Nottingham Forest and will be tempted to set up in a defence-heavy formation, which Birmingham will need to be at their best to break down.

Previews by email

Top News

29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Everton will look to avoid equalling an unwanted club-record Premier League winless run when they travel to Bournemouth on Saturday. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Jude Bellingham will be back in the Real Madrid XI for Sunday's La Liga clash against Athletic Bilbao. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The pick of the fixtures in game week 30 of the 2023-24 La Liga campaign will take place at Bernabeu on Sunday evening, with Real Madrid welcoming Athletic Bilbao for an intriguing affair. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Sociedad will be bidding to make it three straight victories in Spain's top flight when they resume their campaign away to Basque rivals Alaves on Sunday evening. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk One of several blockbuster battles taking place on the Easter weekend, Ligue 1 powerhouses Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain cross paths for the latest instalment of Le Classique on Sunday evening. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Feyenoord play host to FC Utrecht on Sunday afternoon knowing that they realistically need to win to remain in the Eredivisie title hunt. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ajax make the trip to PEC Zwolle on Sunday morning in desperate need of three points as they bid to remain in the hunt for a top-four spot in the Eredivisie standings. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Both Girona and Real Betis will be bidding to return to winning ways in Spain's top flight when the two teams lock horns at Estadi Municipal de Montilivi on Sunday afternoon. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The latest Pep Guardiola-Mikel Arteta Etihad reunion will be a particularly momentous one on Easter Sunday, as Premier League champions Manchester City host current table-toppers Arsenal with priceless points on the line. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams battling to stay out of the relegation zone in Spain's top flight will lock horns on Sunday afternoon, with Celta Vigo welcoming Rayo Vallecano to the Estadio Municipal de Balaidos. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Newcastle United are allegedly preparing to rival Manchester City and Manchester United in the race to sign Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are allegedly likely to fail in any attempt to attract Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Gary O'Neil to Old Trafford. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea defender Thiago Silva will leave the Premier League outfit this summer, according to Fluminense president Mario Bittencourt. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Top-four contenders Nice return from the international break on Sunday, when Ligue 1 strugglers Nantes visit Allianz Riviera under new management. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk All transfer business is done and dusted for this season, but that doesn't stop clubs from preparing ahead for next season. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Gil Vicente vs. Famalicao (Friday, 3.30pm) Gil Vicente and Famalicao get round 27 of the Portuguese Primeira Liga underway when they go head to head at the Estadio Cidade de Barcelos on Friday. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bristol City vs. Leicester (Friday, 12.30pm) Having been knocked off their Championship perch, an ailing Leicester City endeavour to reignite their title bid against Bristol City at Ashton Gate on Friday lunchtime. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Vitoria de Guimaraes will be looking to move level with Braga in the Conference League qualification spot when they go head to head with Moreirense on Saturday. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two sides who could do well with all three points go head to head in round 27 of the Primeira Liga as Estoril Praia play host to Porto at the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota on Saturday. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Fulham boss Marco Silva has admitted he has spoken to Willian about his future with the club. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City have reportedly discovered the asking price of Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes ahead of the summer transfer window. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Atlanta United can maintain their 100% record at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday when they host the Chicago Fire in the final MLS encounter of the weekend. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have reportedly suffered a blow in their pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain attacker Xavi Simons, who has starred on loan at RB Leipzig this season. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to keep their faint hopes of European qualification alive, Freiburg will travel to Borussia Park to face Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga on Saturday afternoon. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk England trio Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford and Cole Palmer are among a number of players who could be potential beneficiaries if UEFA agree to increase national team squad sizes from 23 to 26 for Euro 2024. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aston Villa Women will welcome fellow Midlands side Leicester Women to the Bescot Stadium for Saturday's lunchtime kickoff. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool are reportedly increasingly pessimistic about their chances of hiring top managerial candidate Xabi Alonso this summer. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Orlando City will go head-to-head with the New York Red Bulls in gamweek six of the MLS regular season at the Inter&Co Stadium in Florida on Sunday morning. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to keep their European hopes alive, Eintracht Frankfurt will welcome Union Berlin to Deutsche Bank Park on Saturday afternoon in the Bundesliga. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Unbeaten in their five Major League Soccer matches so far, Los Angeles entertain the challenge of Seattle Sounders at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday.