A preview of Barnsley's match at League One's runaway leaders Birmingham City from 3pm.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Barnsley (3-5-2): Flavell; de Gevigney, Roberts, McCarthy; Bland, Phillips, Connell, Russell, O’Keeffe; Humphrys, Keillor-Dunn.
Birmingham (4-2-3-1): Allsop; Laird, Klarer, Davies, Cochrane; Paik, Iwata; Anderson, Willumsson, Dowell; Stansfield.
TEAM NEWS
Barnsley: Out injured: Joe Gauci (hip), Jackson Smith (hamstring), Neil Farrugia, Josh Benson (hamstring), Georgie Gent (Achilles). Doubts: Josh Earl, Barry Cotter. Birmingham: Injuries: Scott Wright (knee), Lee Buchanan (knee), Lyndon Dykes (calf), Krystian Bielik, Taylor Gardner-Hickman.
OPPOSITION VIEW
Brian Dick, Birmingham Mail
Blues might not have been blowing teams away in terms of the scoreline but this has been a relentless, controlled march to what will surely be the League One title.
They are defensively sound, offensively able to produce moments of quality to settle matches and in many games haven’t really been too tested. They dominate possession – as much as a way to mitigate risk as to tear teams apart – but can be got at if teams are really committed with their press.
KEY PLAYER
Jay Stansfield
The striker signed for a reported £15million from Fulham in the summer – obliterating the League One transfer record.
Although he is currently behind Wycombe’s signing from non-league Richard Kone in the race for the golden boot, he has 17 goals for the league leaders.
Stansfield has a terrific record against the Reds, with five goals in three meetings for Exeter and Birmingham.
He ended a five-game goal drought with a late winner from the penalty spot at Bristol Rovers in midweek.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Blues 2, Reds 1 – January 22, 2022
Poya Asbaghi’s Barnsley were heading towards relegation and lost to Birmingham who had not won in their previous seven games. Lukas Jutkiewicz opened the scoring then ex Reds trialist Scott Hogan tapped in a second after a mistake by Brad Collins. Victor Adeboyejo pulled one back. Fans in the away end sang ‘we want Conway out’ and ‘we want our Barnsley back.’
Blues 1, Reds 2 – December 1, 2020
Valerien Ismael’s Barnsley got the first of six wins in the month. After Hogan opened the scoring on 56 minutes, Cauley Woodrow levelled with his 40th Reds goal from the penalty spot after Callum Brittain was tripped by Kristian Pedersen. Callum Styles’ late shot was deflected in off Jonathan Leko.
Blues 1, Reds 1 – January 1, 2014
Nikola Zigic opened the scoring for the hosts but Danny Wilson’s bottom side came back to draw thanks to a free-kick by Jacob Mellis.
Blues 1, Reds 0 – February 16, 2002
A 12-game unbeaten run in the league, which saw them draw six of their previous seven games, came to an end for Barnsley who would drop into the third tier that season. Stern John got the winner just after half-time for the Blues who would go up to the Premier League via the play-offs.
Blues 3, Reds 0 – March 23, 1993
Barnsley’s play-off chances all-but ended with his heavy midweek defeat. Andy Saville, the former Reds striker, scored twice on his debut for the hosts.
