Birmingham City are on target to avoid relegation as Tyler Roberts steps up

Birmingham City delivered three precious points last night after an emphatic 3-0 win over Coventry City.

The Blues produced one of their best performances of the season to beat the FA Cup semi-finalists and end their hopes of reaching the play-offs. The win lifted the Blues back above the relegation zone after Bristol City held Huddersfield Town to a 1-1 draw in the 100th minute at Ashton Gate.

With three games to play, the Blues are 21st in the Championship with 45 points, one more than Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday, who are in 22nd and 23rd respectively. They still have Rotherham United, Huddersfield to play and Norwich City, but most importantly, the Blues’ fate is now back in their own hands.

Here are our talking points following the Blues’ morale-boosting win…

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Misery and guts

Twenty thousand Bluenoses turned up at St Andrew’s wanting to see a ‘Blues performance’ and they certainly got one. Gary Rowett has picked an XI that will work tirelessly in and out of possession and play within the framework he has set out on the training pitches.

The Blues midfielder has called out Ivan Sunjic in recent weeks. The Croatian provided relentless running power and his first goal in two years.

Keshi Anderson is the third most glamorous left-back in most supporters’ eyes behind Juninho Bacuna and Siriki Dembele, however he is arguably more selfless and diligent in his defensive work. When Anderson produced a weak square pass that was intercepted by Haji Wright early in the second half, he charged back into his own half and eventually dispossessed the Coventry forward to atone for his mistake.

It wasn’t just Sunjic and Anderson, every Blues player who started understood what was required. The standard has now been set for the final three.

A splash of quality from Roberts

Every team needs a splash of quality. Tyler Roberts provided it against Coventry.

He is still an outstanding player at Championship level and his two goal-creating assists proved it. Roberts opened Coventry with his best performance in a Blues shirt by a mile.

The frustration with Roberts was never about his ability. Perhaps now the 25-year-old looks fit and fresh, the Blues will get the version Marcelo Bielsa enjoyed at Leeds United.

Dropping Bielik back a masterstroke

Rowett reserved his praise for Krystian Bielik’s role in the Blues’ third goal in his post-match press conference. Bielik channeled his inside John Stones to step into midfield and dictate a move that led to Jay Stansfield scoring.

When Bielik was sold the central defensive dream by Tony Mowbray earlier this year, a hybrid role similar to that played by Stones for Manchester City was mooted. Sunjic smartly came in alongside Dion Sanderson to let Bielik orchestrate a team goal.

Rowett wants Bielik to play a more orthodox centre-back role, but won’t complain if the Pole steps forward again to the same effect. Who knows where Bielik will play long-term, he’s clearly the best back option for the Blues right now.

Four points could do that

We are all rooting for the Blues’ path to survival and the League One nightmares will only stop when the team is mathematically safe. However, you can hazard a guess as to how many points the Blues will need.

The Blues now have 45 points and that would have been enough to ensure safety in each of the last three seasons. The probability is that 49 points will be needed to stay until this deadline.

Another benefit of Saturday’s win is that the Blues dragged Stoke and QPR – both of whom have a poorer goal difference than the Blues – back within touching distance. The more the merrier as far as the Blues are concerned.

Based on the Blues’ superior goal difference to Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday, four points from games against Rotherham, Terriers and Norwich could be enough. If the Blues reach 49, Huddersfield or Sheffield Wednesday would probably need to reach 50 to be relegated.

That would mean two wins at Swansea (h), Blues (h) and Ipswich (a) for Huddersfield, and the same for Wednesday at Blackburn (a), West Brom (h) and Sunderland (a). Saturday’s win was huge.

Do you think 49 points will be enough? Have your say in the comments section HERE