Birmingham City are bidding to extend their remarkable run of League One results against in-form Charlton Athletic today.
Blues are enjoying a 14-game unbeaten run, stretching back to late November, and pulled seven points clear at the top on Tuesday. Cambridge United were sent packing 4-0 by Chris Davies’ winning machine.
Charlton will pose a much sterner test for Blues having taken 16 points from their last six matches to climb into the play-off places. Nathan Jones has won promotion from League One before and appears to have found the formula for success at Charlton.
The Addicks are, of course, one of two teams to defeat Blues in a League One fixture this season. Matty Godden netted the only goal of the game at The Valley in October and arrives at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park in form with four in his last four.
Alex Dicken will bring you live updates, analysis and reaction from the big League One fixture of the day…
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A Jay Stansfield strike handed Birmingham City a 1-0 victory over Charlton Athletic and extended their lead at the top of League One to nine points.
Stansfield netted his 19th of the season in the 23rd minute to take Blues’ unbeaten league run to 15 matches and avenge their defeat to Charlton at The Valley in October. Second-placed Wycombe Wanderers failed to beat Crawley, meaning Blues now have a nine-point advantage with a game-in-hand on the Chairboys after another victory over a promotion contender.
FT: Blues 1-0 Charlton
Another win at St Andrew's for Blues, sealed by Jay Stansfield's 19th of the season, against another promotion contender. Wycombe's draw with Crawley means Blues are now nine points clear at the top of League One.
Two Blues changes
Alfie May is on against his former club. Stansfield off after scoring the goal that separates the teams. Grant Hanley is also on for Anderson to shore things up. The Scot has settled between Klarer and Davies at the back.
Two bookings and two changes
Ethan Laird and Kieran Dowell have gone into the book for Blues in the last few minutes.
Charlton have made two more changes with Miles Leaburn and Alex Gilbert on for Coventry and Godden. In-form Godden had scored four in his last four games before today, but Klarer and Davies didn't give him a sniff.
First change for Blues
Chris Davies has turned to his bench for the first time today to bring on Lyndon Dykes. Icelandic playmaker Willum Willumsson makes way.
Dykes should just slot into Willumsson's number 10 position where he has played most of his recent football for Blues.
Two more Charlton changes
Daniel Kanu, who caused Blues problems at The Valley, is on for Thierry Small. Luke Berry also makes way for Karoy Anderson.
Charlton have looked more menacing at the beginning of this second half.
Back underway
Charlton have been forced to change their goalkeeper at half-time with Will Mannion on for Maynard-Brewer. A big 45 minutes ahead at St Andrew's...
HT: Blues 1-0 Charlton
Blues worthy of the lead given to them by Stansfield's 19th of the season and could have added to it through Dowell, Iwata and Willumsson.
Referee Sebastian Stockbridge isn't a popular man inside St Andrew's and takes a barrage of abuse on his way down the tunnel at half-time.
Maynard-Brewer denies Iwata
Iwata denied by Maynard-Brewer after quality play from Laird and Stansfield on the right to create the chance. Iwata was probably too close to goal for his liking given his penchant for a screamer.
Dowell strikes the post
The sensational Kieran Dowell almost adds to his highlights reel with a free-kick that hit the foot of the post.
Dowell is having a large influence on this game already, picking up pockets of space in and around Willumsson and Stansfield, and combining effectively.
Stansfield opens the scoring!
Jay Stansfield has scored again!
Stansfield dispossessed Coventry on the near touchline before advancing towards the box, ignoring his teammates, and lashing the ball into the roof of the net. That is trademark Stansfield!
What a howler from the referee
Wow. Charlton keeper Maynard-Brewer was outside the area when he picked the ball up in front of Stansfield. Somehow the referee has missed it. It's a shocker.
Replays show the goalkeeper was clearly outside the box and panicked.
Chris Davies has been booked by referee Sebastian Stockbridge for protesting the call.
We're underway
No room for sentiment
Chris Davies has shown no room for sentiment by leaving ex-Charlton striker Alfie May on the bench. May, 31, was hooked at half-time in the defeat at The Valley and has been given a watching brief to begin with.
I spoke to Davies about May's predicament at yesterday's press conference. Read what he said HERE
Charlton team news
Nathan Jones’ Charlton are at full strength to face Blues. In-form Matty Godden leads the line for the Addicks.
Daniel Kanu, the striker who caused Blues all the problems in the game at The Valley in October, is named among the substitutes. Former Blues forward Chucks Aneke is named on their bench, too.
(3-5-1-1): Maynard-Brewer; Ramsay, Jones, Gillesphey; Small, Berry, Coventry, Docherty, Edwards; Campbell; Godden
Subs: Mannion, Mitchell, Leaburn, Gilbert, Anderson, Aneke, Kanu
Blues team news
Chris Davies has named an unchanged XI for today’s game against Charlton.
Christoph Klarer is fit and captains the side and Paik Seung-ho starts again in midfield.
Davies has again selected the front four of Kieran Dowell, Willum Willumsson, Keshi Anderson and Jay Stansfield, meaning ex-Charlton striker Alfie May is named among the substitutes.
(4-2-3-1): Allsop; Laird, Klarer, Davies, Cochrane; Iwata, Paik; Dowell, Willumsson, Anderson; Stansfield
Subs: Peacock-Farrell, Bielik, Hanley, Harris, Wright, Dykes, May
Predicted XI
As ever, Chris Davies will be looking to balance fitness and form in order to select the strongest possible XI. The selection he made for Cambridge on Tuesday is arguably the best XI available to him.
Brian Dick and I have predicted our XIs HERE
When will we see Lee Myung-jae?
New signing Lee Myung-jae is being made to wait patiently for his debut. The South Korean hasn’t made a squad since joining the club on the final day of the transfer window and faces a battle to oust Alex Cochrane from the left-back position.
Chris Davies discussed Lee’s adaptation on Friday. He said: “He’s doing well. He’s training and building his fitness up, obviously he was out of season so he’s still got that little bit of adjustment physically to go. With the environment, he’s settling in well. He obviously knows Paik and that helps.
“With the squad, unfortunately we don’t have enough space sometimes. There are 20-man squads in the Championship and the Premier League but we’re 18-man, it just shaves a little bit off the bench and he falls into that category right now. He’s here to play and I’m sure he will do soon.”
Good afternoon!
Good afternoon from St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park where Blues take on promotion rivals Charlton.
Blues are looking to make it 15 games unbeaten in League One, dating back to their defeat to Shrewsbury on November 23. Shrewsbury and today’s opponents Charlton are the only teams to beat Blues in the league this season.
Nathan Jones’ Charlton are on a good run of their own having taken 16 points from a possible 18 to climb into the play-off spots.
