Blackpool vs Birmingham City

Birmingham City, fresh from clinching the League One title, travel north to take on Blackpool at Bloomfield Road on Wednesday evening. The Blues are on the verge of breaking an EFL points record as the season nears its close, while Blackpool are left to ponder a lackluster 2024-25 campaign.

After narrowly missing the playoffs last season, Blackpool have struggled this term, with no hope of reaching the top six in their final two games. A recent three-match winning streak briefly raised hopes, but just one win in their last four outings has left them stuck in mid-table, facing a third consecutive season in League One.

Earning only four points from their last four matches, Steve Bruce’s side sit ninth in the League One table, a distant 11 points behind sixth-placed Leyton Orient, with just six points still up for grabs. Blackpool’s home form has been a major setback, with only six wins from 21 matches at Bloomfield Road and a division-high 11 draws.

Blackpool are unbeaten in their last two home games against Birmingham but have fond memories of a 6-1 thrashing of the Blues in April 2022 under Neil Critchley’s management.

Less than a year after their shock relegation from the Championship, Birmingham City celebrated a triumphant moment on Sunday, lifting the League One trophy in front of 28,000 fans at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park, with owner Tom Wagner promising brighter days ahead.

Amid the trophy celebrations, Birmingham delivered a commanding performance, with goals from Willum Willumsson, Keshi Anderson, Kieran Dowell, and Tomoki Iwata sealing a 4-0 victory over Mansfield Town. Undefeated in their last 11 League One matches, Chris Davies’ team has amassed 105 points, setting a new League One record and eyeing Reading’s EFL record of 106 points in the coming week.

After finishing unbeaten in the Second City this season, the Blues have two away games to play before taking a well-deserved breather before their Championship exploits in 2025-26, with a trip to Blackpool on Wednesday and a visit to already-relegated Cambridge United on Saturday.

Birmingham are currently on a four-game winning streak on the road in League One, but they have recently experienced some memorable setbacks away from home, notably a 2-0 defeat to Peterborough United in the EFL Trophy final at Wembley Stadium earlier this month.