Championship Betting: Birmingham City v Sheffield United

Best Bookies, Betting, Bookmakers, Fixed Odds, Football, Tipsters | selectabet | August 9, 2008 at 8:52 am

Birmingham City v Sheffield United – Live on Sky Sports 2. Kick Off 12.45

Birmingham City v Sheffield United

With many pundits expecting Alex McLeish’s men to bounced straight back into the Premier League they’ll be hoping to get the season off to a flier with a home win against the Blades.

The Blues certainly seem to have squad capable of finishing in an automatic promotion place but have a few injuries going into this one. Defender Radhi Jaidi, club captain Damien Johnson and new-boys Kemy Agustien and Quincy Owusu-Abeyie all look likely to miss out through injury. Lee Carsley has been handed the armband for the opener and McLeish shouls still be able to field a strong looking outfit.

Sheffield United could hand first team debuts to new signings; Sun Jihai, Darius Henderson, Greg Halford, Matthew Spring, Justin Haber and David Cotterill. Yet the Blades will start the season off at St. Andrews without last seasons top scorer James Beattie (knee) and winger Keith Gillespie (sprained ankle), who are both injured.

Birmingham are just the right side of evens for a win with Totesport offering 21/20, whilst Sheffield United are available at 16/5 with Bet365.

Whilst the Blades finished strongly last year I think they’ll miss the power and pace of Beattie and Gillespie and with Kevin Phillips likely to feature in the Blues line-up I think Birmingham can just shade this one in front of their own fans.

Home win for me at 21/20 (Totesport)