Preview: Bristol City v Birmingham City

Saturday, January 30th 2016

Promotion-chasing Birmingham City are the visitors to Ashton Gate this Saturday (3pm).

All the key information on Bristol City's opponents can be found below:

BIRMINGHAM CITY
The Blues are five unbeaten in the Sky Bet Championship and have picked up back-to-back 3-0 victories over Derby County and Ipswich Town consecutively. Gary Rowett’s side currently lie in 7th place in the table, and remain outside the play-offs on goal difference. Arsenal loanee Jon Toral is the club’s top scorer with six goals in the league, while Clayton Donaldson scored three of his five goals against City at St Andrew’s. Midfielder Diego Fabbrini has signed for Birmingham from Watford for £1.5m, while Andrew Shinnie has gone on loan to Rotherham United.

MANAGER
Gary Rowett - Former Blues defender appointed the club’s manager in 2014 after a seven-year association with Burton Albion as a player and manager. The 41-year-old missed out on promotion from Sky Bet League Two with the Brewers losing in the play-offs in consecutive seasons. He was offered the Blackpool job a month before he took over at St. Andrew's.

STAR MAN
Jon Toral - Twenty-year-old Spanish midfielder who started his youth career with Barcelona. Toral exited the Nou Camp in 2011 when Arsenal purchased his services for £300,000. In the 2014/15 season, the youngster joined the Gunners on their pre-season tour to the US before being sent out on loan to Brentford. Toral spent the whole campaign with the Bees scoring six times in 34 appearances. The attacking midfielder also has six league goals for Birmingham in 23 matches.

OFFICIALS
Rob Lewis is appointed as the man in the middle. He will be assisted by Paul Hobday and Geoffrey Russell. The fourth official will be Lee Collins.

TICKETS
Tickets for this game are now SOLD OUT.

LAST TIME OUT
Birmingham City 4-2 Bristol City - Clayton Donaldson scored a first-half hat-trick to help overcome City at St Andrew’s. The striker scored two goals inside 20 minutes before Jonathan Kodjia pulled one back from close range. Donaldson got to take the matchball home after notching from the spot, but once again Kodjia reduced the deficit with a smart volley. Jonathan Grounds added a fourth for Birmingham 13 minutes from time.

LAST SEASON
Sky Bet Championship: 10th
FA Cup: Fourth round (lost to West Bromwich Albion)
Capital One Cup: Second round (lost to Sunderland)

DID YOU KNOW?
The club had three names prior to becoming Birmingham City in 1944 (Small Heath Alliance 1875-1888, Small Heath 1888-1905, Birmingham 1905-1944).