Birmingham City conclude their Championship season away to Portsmouth on Saturday lunchtime (12:30pm). The last dance of the season will represent the last stand for some of Birmingham City’s players this weekend.
A trip to Portsmouth closes the campaign for a Blues side looking for at least a point, which would give Chris Davies the boast of guiding the club to its best Championship points tally since 2011/12. Whether that’s enough for a third year in the job is another matter and something owners Knighthead will weigh up in their post-season review.
A number of players who turn out for Blues at Portsmouth will do so for the final time. Changes are inevitable during the summer as squads are reshaped for next season, and Blues have a bunch of players that we probably won’t see again. Davies has never been one for sentiment, so the chances are that he won’t give anyone a swansong for the sake of it.
The obvious two who will be wearing Blues’ colours for the final time are Brighton duo James Beadle and Ibrahim Osman. Neither loan includes an option-to-buy, and as things stand, they will both play their football elsewhere in 2026/27. Davies has expressed an interest in bringing Osman back to St Andrew’s, but a player signed for £16 million two years ago won't come cheap if Brighton aren’t willing to sanction another loan.
Osman is expected to be available after following concussion protocols since he was withdrawn early in last Wednesday’s win over Preston. While Demarai Gray grabbed an assist and hit the woodwork in an improved showing in Osman’s place, the on-loan winger should come back into the team.
The defence in front of Beadle will stay the same, and it’s difficult to see Davies straying from the attack of Carlos Vicente, Osman, Jay Stansfield and August Priske. A goal for Priske would cap a decent finish for Blues.
There is a question mark in midfield. Tomoki Iwata has been utilised in midfield away from home to form a combative duo with Jhon Solis. Iwata has started four of Blues’ last six games away. On the other hand, Paik Seung-ho’s performances on the road haven’t matched up to what we’ve seen at St Andrew’s – a key theme when it comes to most Blues players in fairness.
For this one, it is hard to look beyond Solis and Iwata when Davies is quite clearly going to be chasing one last victory that will give the season a more favourable look.
How will Blues line up?
(4-2-3-1): Beadle; Osayi-Samuel, Neumann, Klarer, Wagner; Solis, Iwata; Vicente, Stansfield, Osman; Priske
