Birmingham City vs Ipswich Town Tips & Preview - Season opener to serve up thriller

By Tolu Shotade

6 seconds ago

Tolu Shotade 6 seconds ago

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Birmingham City return to the Championship after winning League One with record points.
Ipswich Town are looking for a fresh start after relegation from the Premier League.
Both teams possess strong attacks but have defensive vulnerabilities.

Birmingham City vs Ipswich Town

Birmingham City and Ipswich Town kick off the new English Championship season with a Friday night clash at St Andrews.

Both teams looked sharp in preseason and will come into this clash with plenty of confidence. They often show attacking quality and could be set to offer up goals in this one.

Birmingham City News

Birmingham City made an instant return to the Championship after spending only one season in League One. They were the dominant force in the third tier last season, winning the league and setting a new record for the most points after finishing on 111.

The task for Birmingham City will be to carry that form into the new season, and they looked sharp in preseason. Chris Davies’ team have won three of their last four matches and the 1-0 victory over Premier League side Nottingham Forest will give them plenty of confidence heading into Friday's opener.

Birmingham City have no problems going forward and are led by Jay Stansfield, who netted 19 goals last season while also scoring against Nottingham Forest. However, defending remains a slight problem, having failed to keep a clean sheet in five of their last eight matches, while four of their last six home fixtures have produced over 2.5 goals.

Ipswich News

A disappointing Premier League campaign saw Ipswich Town get relegated last season. They struggled to cope with the quality in the top flight and finished second from bottom after picking up just four wins.

Ipswich Town will be keen for a fresh start in the Championship and looked solid in preseason. Kieran McKenna's team won all four of their friendly matches and claimed a 3-0 victory over French side Auxerre in their final warm-up game.

The Tractor Boys often play on the front foot, an approach which usually leaves them open at the back. They have scored and conceded in five of their last six matches across all competitions, with all six fixtures producing over 2.5 goals.

Head to Head

Birmingham City and Ipswich Town have picked up three wins each, with six draws from the last 12 meetings. The visitors claimed a 3-1 home win in the last meeting back in 2024.

Verdict

Birmingham v Ipswich

Birmingham City and Ipswich Town often produce open encounters, with both teams scoring in their last four meetings. With three of those fixtures also producing over 2.5 goals, a similar outcome is expected here.

Stansfield scored 19 goals in League One last season, and much of Birmingham City’s campaign will be dependent on the forward carrying that form into the Championship. He was on target against Nottingham Forest in the final warm-up game and could be backed to find the net on Friday.

Yes

Both Teams to Score

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Over 2.5

Total Goals

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Jay Stansfield

Anytime Goalscorer

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