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Nottingham Forest logo
Championship
Dec 28, 2014 at 12pm UK
 
Birmingham logo

1-3

FT(HT: 0-3)
Cotterill (35'), Donaldson (38', 45')

Preview: Nottingham Forest vs. Birmingham City

Sports Mole previews the lunchtime Championship kickoff between Nottingham Forest and Birmingham as both sides look to bounce back from Boxing Day defeats.

Nottingham Forest will look to put their Boxing Day defeat to Middlesbrough behind them and end 2014 on a high when they host Birmingham City in the Championship on Sunday.

Stuart Pearce's side conceded three second-half goals on their way to a comfortable loss at the Riverside Stadium as their winless streak was stretched to five matches.

Indeed, they have now only won two of their last 17 outings in all competitions and sit seven points adrift of the playoff places as a result.

Having made such an impressive start to the campaign, Pearce will be desperate to rediscover his winning formula, and the Forest boss has experimented with different formations in recent weeks.

Britt Assombalonga returned to the starting lineup on Friday having been a shock omission in the draw with Leeds United, but he lasted just 45 minutes and could find his place in danger again should Dexter Blackstock pass a late fitness test.

Henri Lansbury will also be assessed having missed the Boro defeat due to illness, while Kelvin Wilson will definitely be absent having been sent off in the Boxing Day clash.

Jack Hobbs is nearing a return, but January's FA Cup tie with Rochdale is a more realistic date for him, so Jamaal Lascelles is likely to be the man to replace Wilson at the back.

Forest have won only one of their last seven home games, but come up against a side who will also be looking to pick themselves up after their own heavy Boxing Day loss.

Gary Rowett's unbeaten record at St Andrew's as manager of Birmingham came to an abrupt end on Friday, with high-flying Derby County running out convincing 4-0 winners.

The improvement under Rowett is still there for all to see, however, and victory in this early kickoff would send the Blues level on points with 10th-placed Forest going into 2015.

They have been patchy on the road so far, however, scoring just twice but conceding only once in their four away matches since the former Burton Albion boss took charge.

The visitors will still be without Will Packwood, Gavin Gunning and Matt Green for this match, but they have no new injury concerns to worry about.

Rowett could opt to make changes nonetheless, with Nikola Zigic, Wes Thomas and Lee Novak pushing for starts having featured off the bench against Derby.

Forest:

Recent form: WLDDDL

Possible starting lineup: Darlow; Hunt, Lascelles, Mancienne, Lichaj; Tesche, Osborn, Burke, Fryatt, Antonio; Assombalonga

Birmingham:

Recent form: WWLWWL

Possible starting lineup: Randolph; Caddis, Grounds, Morrison, Robinson; Shinnie, Davis, Gleeson, Cotterill; Gray; Donaldson

Sports Mole says: 1-1


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