Birmingham City

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Birmingham boss Chris Davies claims his Blues are answering all of their critics after they beat Oxford 2-0 to stretch their unbeaten run to six games.

Oxford's Myles Peart-Harris scored an own goal before Marvin Ducksch weighed in with his eighth goal of the season and Davies was delighted with his team's display.

Davies told BBC WM: "Obviously. I'm really pleased with the win, but I was thinking before the game that I wanted us to play well, I wanted us to have that level of control in the match.

"I emphasised that during the week and I think you could see that today. There was a good calmness and a good patience to our game. I think we had a good balance to our possession and that gave us a level of control, which I think was massive in winning the match.

"This calendar year we've looked more of a team. That's the first thing I've been emphasising to the players – you've got to be a team, you've got to work hard for each other and that gives you a chance of winning games in this league. We've looked like that in the last few games. Away from home was the question mark, but we've gone and done that. Here again, another clean sheet and a couple of goals and that's really good for the confidence."

Birmingham City will be more of a physical threat with the signings they have made in January, according to head coach Chris Davies.

Blues signed winger Carlos Vicente from La Liga side Deportivo Alaves for an undisclosed fee on Wednesday and Davies says there was a lot of competition for the 26-year-old.

"He's someone we'd looked at in the summer and have been following him for quite some time so we're really excited about him coming in," he told BBC Radio WM.

"As a club we've done well to attract a player of that quality as he had some good options and interest around Europe."

"The real attraction with Carlos is he's got the intensity we want - loves to run in behind, he's got speed, is a really good crosser but he's a winger who can score goals."

Vicente's arrival makes it five signings for Birmingham to go with the additions of striker August Priske, winger Ibrahim Osman, midfielder Jhon Solis and defender Kai Wagner.

"We've improved the physicality of the team - to a point where we tried to get everything done in that summer window but you can't do everything of where we wanted to go straight away," added Davies.

"I like the look of the physicality of the team now more than the past few months where in some away games, some situations we've looked lighter than the opposition, but we look like we're going to have more power and speed."

Birmingham visit Oxford United in the Championship on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

A win for Oxford United could see them move out of the Championship's relegation zone on Saturday but they will also need one other result to go their way.

Birmingham City are hoping to record back-to-back away league wins for the first time this season.

• This will be the first time this century that Birmingham have faced Oxford United away from home in the league, with Blues winning 7-1 on their last trip there (December 1998, also in the second tier).

• After a 1-0 victory in this season's reverse fixture, Birmingham will be looking to do the league double over Oxford for the first time since 1985-86.

• Following their victory away at Leicester City last time out, Oxford United will be aiming for consecutive wins in the Championship for the first time since January 2025 (1-0 v Blackburn and 3-2 v Luton).

• Only bottom side Sheffield Wednesday (1,307:42) have trailed for more minutes than Birmingham (1,045:30) in the Championship this season.

• Brian De Keersmaecker has more than twice as many assists as any other Oxford player in the Championship this season (5); indeed, he has the most chances created (37) and big chances created (9) for the U's in the competition this term.

Birmingham City have joined Coventry and Sheffield United in the race to sign Brentford and Nigeria midfielder Frank Onyeka, with the Bees seeking around £8m for the 28-year-old. (Birmingham World), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Tuesday's gossip column here.

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Midfielder Lewis Koumas has returned to Liverpool after being recalled from his season-long loan spell with Championship club Birmingham City.

The 20-year-old played 25 times for Blues, including seven league starts, and scored one goal, in the 3-2 win against leaders Coventry City.

After signing a new contract with Liverpool, Koumas spent last season on loan in the Championship with Stoke City, scoring three times in 43 league appearances.

The Wales international has made one senior appearance for the Reds when he netted in an FA Cup tie against Southampton in the 2023-24 season.

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Birmingham City's leading scorer Jay Stansfield said growing up is helping him cope with his longest goal drought for the club.

The 22-year-old made a blistering start by scoring in the first three games of the season in league and cup.

A double in a 4-1 win against Norwich on 22 November took him to nine goals in 17 appearances, including eight in the league.

But Stansfield, who has 45 goals for the club since joining from Fulham, has been unable to find the net in his 12 appearances since then, including Saturday's 1-1 draw with Stoke.

"It's been the longest time that I haven't scored but I've still been out here and contributing, working hard for the team, and getting an assist here and there is something different to my game," he told BBC Radio WM.

"I think when you grow up you learn not to let it affect you as much as it would have two seasons ago.

"I know my qualities and I know that I'll be on the scoresheet soon and I'm looking forward to that feeling again, but at the moment I'm just making sure that I'm still here doing my best for the team."

Blues are 13th in their first season back in the second tier, within five points of the play-off places after a run of just one defeat in their past seven league matches.

"The league is so tight and everyone is beating everyone so it's up in the air what the season brings for us," added Stansfield.

"But we know where we want to be and we're pushing to do that."

Middlesbrough have beaten Birmingham City to a loan deal for Brighton and Ecuador winger Jeremy Sarmiento, which includes an obligation to buy the 23-year-old on a four-and-a-half-year deal for £3.2m. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Though Blues have entered final negotiations for Deportivo Alaves winger Carlos Vicente in a deal worth almost £7m after facing competition for the 26-year-old Spaniard from Dutch side Ajax. (Noticias de Alava - in Spanish), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Monday's gossip column here.

Sam Fletcher
Final Score reporter

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Has a new attacking partnership been born for Birmingham City during their game against Stoke City?

Despite a 1-1 draw which might feel like a loss for Blues fans, there were positives to take, particularly from new signing Ibrahim Osman, whose powerful and pressing style stood out.

He was linking up well with Jay Stansfield and, as well as some nearly moments from set-pieces, it felt like this partnership was the most likely to have success.

If this is what they can do in their first time of playing together, I think Birmingham can be hopeful about developing this route of service.

In terms of window signings, everyone is talking about August Priske, but I think Osman could be first on the scoresheet.

Birmingham manager Chris Davies excused his "jaded" team after they failed to finish off Stoke but was unhappy with the visitors' "soft" equaliser.

He told BBC Radio WM: "It was a hard-fought match. We didn't start the game as sharply as we normally do but Stoke came into it quite well and we were losing a lot of balls in midfield.

"We grew a bit into the game, scored a good goal from a set-piece, and from that moment on we needed that second goal. We had some jaded legs, possibly after three games in a week, and needed that second goal to be in a strong position to get three points.

"We didn't. The game was still alive and [they scored] a really soft goal which we're frustrated about. If anyone was going to win it, it was going to be us, but it wasn't to be.

[On Tomoki Iwata's goal] "It was pleasing because we don't have a lot of time to work [on set-pieces] but the timing, the movement, it was a really good goal, and a worked routine off a set-piece can open a game up for you in a tight game like that.

"They were trying their best but we weren't quite as fluent. The subs improved us and nearly got our winning goal."

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Birmingham right-back Alfons Sampsted has left the club on a permanent basis and joined Dutch Eredivisie outfit Go Ahead Eagles for an undisclosed fee.

The 27-year-old Iceland international made six Championship appearances for Blues in the first half of the season but hasn't featured since coming on as a substitute in the 3-2 victory over Coventry on 4 January.

In total, Sampsted made 31 appearances for Birmingham and was part of the squad which won the League One title last season.

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A new initiative highlighting the work of football club charities has been launched by the English Football League (EFL).

'Scan to Smile' will be rolled out in stadiums across the EFL from Friday until the end of January, with supporters invited to scan QR codes on posters displayed around grounds.

Each scan will unlock a short, uplifting story from a person whose life has been positively impacted by the support of their local club charity.

The subjects tackled include mental health support, combating loneliness, improving physical wellbeing, employability and confidence.

The EFL said it hoped the initiative would use "the reach and influence of football to offer fans a moment of positivity on matchday".

Trevor Birch, chief executive at the EFL, said: "Behind every club are people whose lives have been positively changed through the work and dedication of their local EFL club charity.

"This initiative gives supporters the chance to see that impact first-hand and reminds us that football truly is a force for good."

Birmingham City midfielder Marc Leonard, 24, is poised to return to Hearts on a loan deal until the end of the season. (Scottish Sun), external

Read all the latest EFL transfer rumours in Friday's gossip column here.

Victory for Stoke City at Birmingham City could be enough to take them back into the top six on Saturday, depending on results elsewhere.

But, such is the competitive nature of the Championship, a win for Blues would move them level on points with their opponents and reignite their hopes of gatecrashing the play-off race.

• Birmingham have lost just one of their past 15 home league games against Stoke City (W9 D5), though that sole defeat came in the two sides' last meeting at St Andrews in December 2023.

• After winning the reverse fixture 1-0 back in September, Stoke City will be looking to claim a first league double over Birmingham City since the 1988-89 season.

• Birmingham have won two of their past three league games (D1), after winning just one of their previous nine (D4 L4).

• Stoke have won each of their past two away league games, keeping a clean sheet in each. The Potters have not won three in succession since December 2005 (4) and have not done so without conceding since November 1975.

• Birmingham have scored in each of their past 14 home league games, last enjoying a longer scoring run at St Andrews between April 1969 and January 1970 (15 games).

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Birmingham City boss Chris Davies has said he would like to add another two or three more signings before the end of the January transfer window if possible.

Blues have already brought in four new players this month: striker August Priske, winger Ibrahim Osman, midfielder Jhon Solis and defender Kai Wagner.

Davies believes the new arrivals have already pepped up the squad.

"It's important in January to get some fresh faces in and the ones we've bought in are young and that brings a certain energy and I think it's just what the squad needed," he told BBC Radio WM.

Brighton loanee Osman and permanent signing Priske, both 21, joined the club this week and Davies has been encouraged by what he was seen from the pair in their first training sessions.

"Ossy is a left winger by trade but can play off the right if needed and he's got real speed," he added.

"His biggest strength is his 1v1 ability and driving at defenders.

"So we're hoping he gives us that speed and threat and he's come here to try to seize his opportunity.

"We hope top try to improve the speed and physicality of the team in this window and he's a good example of that."

As for Denmark Under-21 international Priske, Davies said the striker is full of promise but will probably take a bit of time to settle into the Championship.

"He's a fantastic character and the type of striker who can link, play technically and be physical. He's one that will get better season by season," he said.

"It's not going to be help piling expectation on him immediately - he's new, young and we need to give him space to breathe and grow. We've signed a striker I'm excited about.

"We've got off to a reasonable start. There will probably be another two or three in and maybe two or three out.

"There are no guarantees but that's what I'm hoping for."

Middlesbrough have reignited their interest in Brighton winger Jeremy Sarmiento and are attempting to hijack Birmingham City's deal for the 23-year-old after Blues had already agreed a permanent transfer for the Ecuador international. (Sky Sports), external

Want to read more EFL transfer news and rumours? Check out Thursday's gossip column in full here.