Chris Davies is confident Birmingham City will correct their away form after they started the Championship season with a creditable draw at Sheffield United. Blues returned to the scene of one of their darkest away days last season – a 3-0 defeat in December – and emerged with a point thanks to a 0-0 draw.
They had chances to win through Paik Seung-ho, Jay Stansfield and Carlos Vicente before James Beadle produced a top save to prevent Patrick Bamford from scoring late on for the Blades.
Davies: 'We were the team most likely to win'
Davies reflected: “I think we were the team most likely to win that match. I said to the players on another day that’s one or two-nil. We had so many moments around their box, chances and for me were the team that deserved to win it.
“But you have to say, coming to a place like this first game of the season, it’s a point gained.”
Blues also saw penalty appeals waved away by referee Gavin Ward after United left-back Sam McCallum caught Phil Neumann following a set piece. Davies leapt out of his dugout and called for a penalty – but he wasn’t so adamant in his post-match press conference.
“I always think it’s a penalty when it goes against us! I was a long way away but I thought he swung his leg and touched it. I would probably need to see a replay.”
Away record a key factor this season
Blues’ success this season will partly be determined by their record away from home after it cost them a promotion shot last term. Davies’ side only accumulated 20 points away from St Andrew’s, where their record was formidable, but they have opened the season with clean sheets at Swansea and Sheffield United.
There has been an effort to make Blues more difficult to play against with a direct, physical style and that is clearly here to stay.
Davies: 'Performances like this will help improve away record'
The Blues manager said: “We’ve gone to Swansea and Sheffield and we’ve got a win and a draw and they will be two really good Championship teams.
“We finished last season trying to put pressure on the opposition basically. Too often we would invite pressure onto ourselves.
“There’s always going to be ups and downs away from home, but what’s clear to me is we will have a much greater chance to improve that away record with performances like this.”
