Alan Hansen’s Premier League Preview: Birmingham v Everton
Birmingham and Everton clash at St Andrews this weekend in what should be a cracking game. In some ways Alex McLeish has followed the David Moyes blueprint for Premier League success by building a hard-working, efficient, hard to beat Blues side in Everton’s image. Like the Toffees over the past few seasons, Alex has built his team on a firm defensive base and that ethic has paid off handsomely during the 2009/10 campaign.
Birmingham have already faced Everton twice this season at Goodison in league and cup picking up a draw and a superb FA Cup victory. However, in terms of league meetings over the years, it is definitely the Toffees that hold the upper hand. In fact, Birmingham have only won one of the 11 previous Premier League meetings home and away (4 wins). That solitary success came back in February 2004 when City won 3-0 at St Andrews with Damien Johnson, Stan Lazaridis and Mikael Forssell scoring for Steve Bruce’s team.
Everton’s superiority over Birmingham has not been solely since the Premier League began. After all, the Toffees have lost just two of the last 34 league meetings (18 wins) with Birmingham stretching back to 1972. Both of those defeats came at St Andrews where the Merseysiders boast a record of nine wins, six draws and two defeats from their last 16 visits. Despite Alex’s Blues’ side’s record at home, I don’t see Everton losing this one either.
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David Moyes’ team have had an up and down season. Everton started poorly but recovered their league form only to disappointedly exit the FA Cup to Birmingham and the Europa League to Sporting Lisbon. However, two defeats in the last 14 league matches suggest the Toffees will be far from pushovers at St Andrews. Everton’s 5-1 thrashing of Hull will have reinvigorated the team following successive defeats in Portugal and North London as they chase a Europa League spot for next season.
Birmingham suffered a heart-breaking FA Cup defeat at Portsmouth last weekend which ended their dreams of a trip to Wembley but it is testament to the character of the team that they returned to Fratton Park on Tuesday night to record a 2-1 win. This was Birmingham’s first back-to-back league wins since December and leaves them two points clear of Everton going into the weekend.
The Second City side are unbeaten at St Andrews since September, a run of 6 wins and 4 draws. In this time they’ve faced the likes of Man City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham without defeat. Therefore, with both teams in form, I am predicting a draw on Premier 10 this weekend. Both of these sides are well organised, hard working and difficult to beat so a stalemate looks very much on the cards. With an estimated £30,000 jackpot to be won this weekend, who will you back?
Tags: Alan Hansen, Birmingham, Everton, Football betting, Football Pools, Online pools, Premier 10, Premier League
March 11th, 2010 at 16:25
Two boring teams, hope neither get into Europe. Villa to win the cup and finish 4th. Always in our shadow Bluenoses!
March 11th, 2010 at 23:29
Re: Villa Thriller
Two boring teams? You are on a wind up because a much better judge than me and you,namely Arsene Wenger recently labelled your side a ‘long ball team’ and I know whose judgement I’d rely on.Take your claret specs off and see Heskey and Carew for the ‘Wimbledon’ battering rams that they are and we won’t go there with those bastians of football Dunne and Collins
March 12th, 2010 at 13:43
A typical Vila fan remark! i’m not sure what you’d class as good football if you think Everton are boring! I coldundersta in sone ways about Birmingham because of Mcleish’ time in the job at Birmingham but Moyes has wel proven himself and a long time has passed since we were playing basic defence no imagination Football, Talented players Acquired see to that.
Now your team are one which lacks Quality and imagination and I personally don’t see what all the fuss is about when it comes to Martin O’neill! really what has he done when in the Premier League? errr Nothing! done good outside But that aint the Prem! I mean Some of the players he’s bought??? Crazy!! All Hail a Good Referee because Neutrality is Good for a Sport.