Brentford vs Birmingham
England – Championship
Date: Saturday, 3 August 2019
Kick-off at 15:00 UK/ 16:00 CET
Venue: Griffin Park (London).
MATCH FACTS
We are unbeaten in our last five league matches against Birmingham (W3 D2 L0) since losing 1-2 in November 2016.
We haven’t lost at home on the opening day of a league season since August 1992 (0-2 vs Wolves), winning six and drawing three since then.
Birmingham are looking for their first away league win on the opening day since August 1998, when they won 2-0 at Port Vale; they’ve drawn four and lost seven since.
Only the two automatically promoted sides Norwich City and Sheffield United (both 49) won more home Championship points last season than us (46).
Birmingham are looking to win three consecutive away league games in London for the first time since April 1990 – they have started their league season with an away game in London on 14 previous occasions, winning only once (W1 D4 L9), a 2-1 win at Spurs in August 1946.
Brentford vs Birmingham Match Preview
Brentford will be looking to improve on last season when they finished 11th in the Championship ten points removed from the play-offs. This season many experts are tipping them to go well and bookmakers have them as fifth favourites. Pontus Jansson is a great signing while keep holding of forwards Neal Maupay and Said Benrahama will be crucial to their promotion hopes.
At Griffin Park, the Bees were impressive last season with the third-best record in the division behind promoted sides Norwich and Sheffield United. The 50 goals they scored at their place was the joint-second best in the division.
Birmingham finished 17th last season having been docked points for financial issues and this season could be a struggle as off-field issues still haunt them. Bookmakers have them fourth favourites for the drop under Pep Clotet. The Spaniard is a highly-regarded coach but his one managerial spell in charge of Oxford was not a huge success while the club has lost key striker Che Adams.
Away from St Andrew's, the Blues were decent last season coming eighth in the table losing just eight of their 23. They scored the fifth-highest tally of goals on the road last campaign but without Che Adams and Jota will struggle to replicate this.
A home victory is an obvious call and we could not put anyone off backing the London outfit to win this one given the expected gulf in class between these two. That being said a better bet might be to take a home victory and over 2.5 goals given only three grounds saw more goals than Griffin Park last season For additional value take the same match result and over 3.5 goals.
Brentford vs Birmingham Betting Tips
Brentford to Win @ 1.75 (3/4)
To Score the First Goal: Brentford @ 1.60 (3/5).
