West Bromwich Albion welcome Birmingham City at The Hawthorns, West Bromwich today at 1:30 PM in a Championship fixture that's tighter on paper than the positions suggest — just 2 points split them in the table.

West Bromwich Albion come into this fixture in mixed form (2W 2D 1L). Birmingham City travel drawing too many games (3D in last 5), which may hand the initiative to the hosts.

In 10 previous meetings, West Bromwich Albion lead 3–5 with 2 draws. Their last encounter ended in a 0–0 draw.

West Bromwich Albion deploy a 4-4-2 while Birmingham City opt for a 4-2-3-1 — the midfield battle between those shapes could determine where the game is won and lost.

Verdict: This looks an evenly matched contest. Home advantage gives West Bromwich Albion a slight edge, but Birmingham City are capable of causing problems. A draw would be a fair result.