Birmingham City vs Blackburn Prediction: Blackburn Rovers are inching closer to securing a coveted top-six finish

Birmingham City will aim to advance towards securing their position in the Championship as they welcome Blackburn Rovers, who are vying for a playoff spot, to St Andrew's for an afternoon match on Saturday.

Birmingham's recent victory at Queens Park Rangers, despite playing away and against a struggling opponent, displayed a determined performance. This win marked their second triumph in three matches, and the resulting short-term improvement in form has brought them closer to ensuring their status in the second tier for the next season.

As of now, John Eustace's team holds the 17th position in the Championship standings, enjoying a comfortable lead of nine points over the relegation-threatened Huddersfield Town, with only eight games remaining in the season. A victory on Saturday would substantially contribute towards eliminating any lingering fears of relegation for Birmingham City.

Historically, Birmingham City has struggled to maintain its performance towards the end of previous seasons. Considering this, Head Coach John Eustace is keen to avoid a lackluster conclusion to his inaugural term at the helm of the club.

Ruddy; Colin, Roberts, Long, Trusty; Bielik, Bacuna, Chong, Hall, Khadra; Jutkiewicz.

Blackburn Rovers came agonizingly close to securing a spot at the Wembley Stadium during their FA Cup quarter-final match against Sheffield United, with only ten minutes left on the clock, as they held a lead at Bramall Lane. Unfortunately, their hopes were dashed by late goals from the Blades' Oli McBurnie and Thomas Doyle, resulting in a heart-wrenching exit for the Rovers faithful at the quarter-final stage.

Despite this setback, Manager Jon Dahl Tomasson is expected to harness this experience to inspire his team to achieve an ultimate high as they strive to secure a trip to Wembley Stadium in the Championship season.

Blackburn Rovers currently occupy the fifth position in the Championship standings, with a four-point lead over Norwich City and Coventry City, who are seventh and eighth, respectively. However, both of these teams have played an additional match as compared to Rovers, which makes their current standing advantageous.

It is worth noting that Blackburn has previously triumphed over Birmingham City at St Andrew's this season, albeit it required a tightly contested 120-minute game and an Auston Trusty own goal to seal their passage to the fifth round of the FA Cup in January.

Pears; Rankin-Costello, Carter, Hyam, Pickering; Travis, Morton, Thomas, Szmodics, Brereton; Gallagher.

Although a single victory would likely secure Birmingham City's status in the Championship, the club has historically tended to prolong its fight for survival in the second tier.

On the other hand, Blackburn Rovers are inching closer to securing a coveted top-six finish, and we anticipate a strong response from them following their recent exit from the FA Cup. Therefore, we predict that Rovers will claim a maximum point haul as they face Birmingham City at St Andrew's on Saturday.

Based on our analysis, it is highly likely that the total number of goals scored in this upcoming match will exceed 2.5 goals.