Preview: Birmingham City vs. Rangers – prediction, team news, lineups

St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park will host the inaugural edition of the Trevor Francis Memorial game on Wednesday night when Birmingham City and Rangers meet as part of their pre-season schedule.

Francis is regarded as the Blues’ greatest ever player, a two-time European Cup winner who also helped the Gers to Scottish League Cup glory in the late 1980s.

Match preview

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For the first time in 30 years, Birmingham City are in the third tier of English football following a tumultuous 2023-24 campaign in which a team that was led by all John Eustace, Wayne Rooney, Tony Mowbray and Gary Rowett failed to avoid the second level hatch.

A mixture of regrettable managerial appointments, unfortunate illness and unfortunate departing form combined to create a perfect relegation storm for those who have cursed the Blues’ ability to stay out of trouble in recent years, but there is still considerable reason for optimism in the second next city. of the new term.

With the financial constraints of League One less prominent, Birmingham’s hugely ambitious ownership began an expensive reshuffle of the playing staff for last season’s third-tier Golden Boot winner. Alfie May joining, while the arrivals of Willum Willumsson and Christoph Klarer saw the Blues break the division’s transfer record twice in the space of 24 hours.

Coming out of Ange Postecoglouhis shadow at Tottenham Hotspur to take up a managerial position for the first time in his coaching career, Chris Davies is the man tasked with fitting all of Birmingham’s exciting pieces into a League One juggernaut, with anything short of automatic promotion likely to be viewed as a failure.

During the 3-0 and 2-0 wins against Solihull Moors and Shrewsbury Town respectively so far in pre-season, it was clear to see that the 39-year-old boss had begun the process of putting his front foot on the big intension. philosophy on a host of talented players, although Wednesday’s visitors represent a major step up in the quality of the opposition.

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Looking to end arch-rivals Celtic’s three-year reign at the top of the Scottish Premiership, Rangers have tested themselves in a pair of high-profile pre-season fixtures so far, with games against Eredivisie giants Ajax and heavyweights English Manchester United, both. ending in defeat.

Erik ten HaagThe Red Devils were the visitors to a sold-out Ibrox on Saturday afternoon as goals either side of half-time from a pair of United academy graduates – former Gers loanee Amad Diallo and Joe Hugill – sealed a 2-0 friendly success for the Premier League rivals.

After being parachuted into service in October 2023 following his dismissal Michael Beale, Philippe Clement is preparing for his first full campaign in charge of Rangers, who have lost just six of 43 competitive games under the 50-year-old Belgian’s reign.

Thanks to their second-place finish in the Premiership last season, the Gers will enter this season’s Champions League in the third qualifying round, where the Scottish giants will meet either Ukraine’s Dinamo Kiev or Serbia’s Partizan Belgrade for a place in the playoff phase. .

Birmingham City Friendly Form:

Rangers friendly form:

Team news

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After watching from the stands at Shrewsbury on Saturday, Austrian defender Klarer could make his Birmingham debut on Wednesday, when he could partner either Dion Sanderson or Krystian Bielik at central defender.

Davies is likely to field his full XI, who will benefit massively from their match of wits against Rangers, so expect Willumsson, Emil Hanson and Koji Miyoshi everything to get started.

Lee Buchanan missed Saturday’s trip to Shropshire with a slight injury concern, meaning new signing Alex Cochrane he should once again start at left back.

Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland is scheduled to face his former employers on Wednesday, with John Souttar and Ben Davies likely to start in front of the 31-year-old marksman.

Coming off the bench in the defeat to Man United, Rabbi Matondo and Leon Balogun could be included in Gers’ starting XI at St Andrew’s.

Birmingham City possible starting lineup:
Peacock-Farrell; Laird, Bielik, Klarer, Cochrane; Paik, James, Stansfield, Willumsson, Hansson; May

Rangers possible starting lineup:
Butland; Sterling, Souttar, Davies, Jefte; Diomande, Barron; Matondo, Lawrence, Wright; Desserts

We say: Birmingham City 1-2 Rangers

Having enthused the Bluenoses with their dominant performances so far this summer, Wednesday’s game against Rangers could administer a dose of reality for Birmingham ahead of the new campaign.

That said, a first-choice Blues side is capable of causing the Gers problems, but we think Clement’s men will come out on top, recording their first win of pre-season.

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