Match: EFL Championship
Fixture: Leicester City vs Birmingham City
Local Kick-off Time: August 29th at 20:00
Click here to watch the match LIVE now! 🔴 ▶
Click here to watch the match LIVE now! 🔴 ▶
Handicap Prediction:
Asian Handicap: Birmingham City +0 (Level Ball)
European Handicap: Draw + Away Win
Predicted Scores: 0-0, 0-1, 1-1
Predicted Total Goals: 0, 1, 2
Comprehensive Analysis:
Leicester City, nicknamed the “Foxes,” were competing in the English Premier League last season but had a dismal campaign—finishing 18th (3rd from bottom) with a record of 6 wins, 7 draws, and 25 losses, and were thus relegated to the EFL Championship. Having returned to the Premier League for just one season before being relegated again, it is clear that the team’s current squad strength still cannot support their survival in the top flight. After relegation, Leicester City has seen significant squad changes; while they have made targeted reinforcements, their overall strength has still declined considerably. This season, all eyes are on whether they can win promotion back to the Premier League. In the opening 3 matches of the new Championship season, they have recorded 2 wins and 1 loss, putting in a mediocre performance.
The away side, Birmingham City, had a poor 2023-24 EFL Championship campaign and was relegated to EFL League One. However, after relegation last season, Birmingham performed strongly in League One, ultimately winning the league title by a comfortable margin to secure an immediate return to the Championship. This season, they have made targeted squad reinforcements in an effort to make an impact in the Championship. They have made a solid start to the new season with 2 wins and 1 draw. Although they were eliminated from the EFL Cup Second Round by Port Vale, this has allowed them to end their cup commitments and focus fully on the league.
Summary:
Major Asian bookmakers initially opened with a Level Ball (0 handicap) for this match. Given that one side is a Premier League relegated team and the other is a Championship promoted side, this handicap is clearly on the shallow side, showing a severe lack of support for the home team. It is worth noting that Leicester City has won all of their last 8 historical encounters against Birmingham City, holding an overwhelming psychological advantage. In their Championship meeting last April, Leicester also claimed a 2-1 home win, with the handicap at the time opening with Leicester -1.5. Given the initial lack of support for Leicester in this match, the Foxes will face considerable difficulty in securing an easy win. Therefore, Birmingham City may spring a surprise in this match.
