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Birmingham Ready For Promotion While Southampton Lose Survival Fight
The Midlands club are looking to bounce back at the first attempt and their chances were boosted on Monday night as Sheffield United crashed 1-0 at Burnley. That result left the blues four points clear of the Sheffield club, meaning victory will guarantee them a place at English football’s top table. Their opponents Preston may be in the mood to spoil to party after they boosted their own play-off hopes by thrashing Cardiff City at home 6-0.
Misery for Southampton
Southampton’s chances of survival have been dealt a huge blow and they face relegation to League 1 after their parent company went into administration, meaning the Saints will be docked points. Currently four points adrift from safety, Saints will be docked ten points should they survive, but if they are relegated outright, the penalty will begin at the start of next season, meaning they will start on -10 points. Southampton will be appealing against the penalty as they say it is their parent company and not the football club who have gone into administration.
That will be good news for the other clubs wanting to avoid the relegation trap door. Norwich City are currently in the drop zone but hope victory against Reading on Monday will take them out should Barnsley lose to champions elect Wolves. Blackpool just need a point from their home game against Nottingham Forest to secure survival, While wins for Derby at home to Charlton and Plymouth at QPR will guarantee their status for next season.
Keane set for first Ipswich game
Elsewhere, Roy Keane will be hoping to work the same kind of magic he used at Sunderland as he takes charge of Ipswich Town. The Suffolk club, who earlier in the week sacked Jim Magilton as manager, have appointed Keane on a two year contract and the new manager has targeted automatic promotion next season but his first priority will be to secure three points away to play-off chasing Cardiff.
Swansea set about displacing Burnley in the play-off zone by visiting Sheffield United, who themselves are hoping for three points and a Birmingham slip up to put them back in the frame for automatic promotion. Burnley travel to Southampton looking for the win which will make certain of a play-off place and relegate Southampton outright.
It’s All About Birmingham
But the weekend promises to be all about Birmingham, who have a golden opportunity to win promotion in front of their home supporters. Should they fail and Sheffield United win, the promotion issue will go to the last game of the season, with Birmingham away at Reading and Sheffield United at Crystal Palace and Birmingham will want to avoid that scenario at all costs.
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