Sunderland vs Birmingham Odds, Prediction & Betting Tips
A real treat is in store come Saturday lunch time as two Championship behemoths in Sunderland and Birmingham clash at the Stadium Of Light. Wayne Rooney's reign at Birmingham is off to a shaky start following his bizarre appointment in place of John Eustace, while the Black Cats are in the hunt for a play-off place sitting in eighth. Here we provide our two best bets for the game...
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This really is a clash of club styles in terms of sticking or twisting. Sunderland went through a rocky patch recently with Tony Mowbray at the helm, but stood behind their manager and now seem to be out of the woods following four points from their previous two games. They are now well in the promotion mix and seem to have found form again.
Birmingham City on the other hand produced one of the harshest sackings in EFL history to dismiss John Eustace when the club were in the top six, and now they are reaping what they sewed. The club's clueless American ownership went for the biggest name possible in England great Wayne Rooney, but since the United legend took charge at St Andrews, Blues cannot buy a win.
Fans have already turned on the board and the beleaguered Rooney, who already looks bereft of ideas, and we can only see this game going one way. There is added intrigue with Jobe Bellingham, brother of the globetrotting Jude, facing his boyhood club Birmingham for the first time as a Sunderland player since signing over the summer.
Sunderland vs Birmingham Tips
Despite a mediocre home record, the Black Cats should have enough for a Birmingham team that have lurched from the average to the abysmal since Wayne Rooney took charge. In Rooney's defence, he is attempting a real change of style as Blues boss, but although there are sometimes signs the players are buying into his methods, a trip to a well drilled Sunderland side is not what they need.
The return of flying full back Ethan Laird will boost the Blues as he made his comeback against Ipswich last time out, but the Birmingham defence may be cursing his marauding instincts as they have to deal with the red hot Jack Clarke of Sunderland. Clarke has arguably been the player of the year (outside of runaway leaders Leicester) in the Championship this season and his tally of nine goals has not been bettered by anyone in the division.
Sunderland's formation and set up is all wrong for Rooney's new look Blues and while this game doesn't look like a nailed on blow-out, there are multiple methods to victory for Mowbray's men and they are worth backing at a shade under even money. The aforementioned mediocre home record could be about to turn for Sunderland too after their epic 3-1 win here last time out against Norwich will have the Black Cats faithful turning up with both hope and expectation for this midday game.
Jack Clarke to Score and Over 3.5 Shots
The Championship has a stunning collection of stars that in their teens or early twenties use the division as a platform to showcase their talents before moving up to the highest level and I've no doubt that Jack Clarke is next in line. Sunderland fans won't like it, but with or without them Clarke will be playing Premier League football next season.
The Black Cats are by no means a one man team, but usually when something positive happens for Sunderland, Clarke is involved. His record of nine goals so far makes him their top marksman by six, and his price to score against Blues is tempting enough as a single.
However, when delving a little deeper into Clarke's stats in the last few weeks we can see he is shooting on sight and adding in a shots line to this bet makes it much more appealing. Despite being smothered out of the game against Leicester three games ago in a 1-0 loss, Sunderland's talisman still managed three shots. Following this, Clarke has scored in the win against the Canaries and been everywhere in the 0-0 Swansea draw.
Admittedly, Clarke is not the most accurate shooter, as exemplified by six against the Swans with just one on target, however he also hit six the game before and this means his shots prices against Birmingham are too tempting to turn down. Backing Clarke to find the back of the net while taking over 3.5 shots pays out 4/1 with bet365 and in a game I see Sunderland winning, it is hard to envisage this outcome arising without Clarke starring and shooting.
