Birmingham vs Crawley Prediction: Blues to respond after flat Wembley display

| Friday 18th April 2025, 7:23am

Friday 18th April 2025, 7:23am

Birmingham City were left disappointed last Sunday as they lost the Vertu Trophy final to Peterborough United at Wembley. The Blues delivered arguably their flattest performance of the season on the nation's biggest stage but now they must return to their League 1 campaign. They've secured the title with six games to spare but now it's all about breaking points records, as they welcome Crawley Town to St Andrew's on Friday (15:00, Sky Sports+).

Crawley are fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table and are currently six points adrift of safety coming into this clash. Read on for my Birmingham vs Crawley predictions, featuring the latest team news and match odds.

Birmingham vs Crawley Betting Tips

Birmingham and both teams to score @ 9/5
Birmingham to win both halves @ 9/5

Odds correct at the time of publishing

Football Odds

Team News

Birmingham boss Chris Davies was shortlisted for the League 1 Manager of the Season award on Wednesday but he will be in the stands for his side's next two matches as a result of him collecting his sixth yellow card of the campaign against Peterborough.

Given how timid his team were at Wembley, he could consider making several changes against Crawley as Blues chase down both the division's points record (103) set by Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2013-14, and the EFL record (106) set by Reading in 2005/06.

Alfie May will be pushing for a recall after he was surprisingly named on the bench against Posh. The striker has scored 15 times in the league and five of them have come in his previous four appearances. His last two outings in B9 have been fruitful with the 31-year-old bagging a brace in each of them.

Taylor Gardner-Hickman may be considered to start on Friday following disappointing attacking performances from Willum Willumsson and Kieran Dowell, who are both a similar profile of player.

Scott Wright and Lee Buchanan (both knee) and Lyndon Dykes (calf) remain out of action for the Blues, but there is hope that Emil Hansson will be able to return to the squad for Friday following a short absence.

This will give Davies another valuable attacking player to consider, with Keshi Anderson the only recognised winger in the squad last Sunday.

Captain Krystian Bielik was an unexpected omission from the squad at Wembley and so there is doubt surrounding his participation against Crawley.

Birmingham vs Crawley Stats

Birmingham and both teams to score has been a successful bet in their last four L1 matches
Birmingham have won both halves in their previous two league games

Crawley make the trip to the West Midlands with no fresh injury concerns as Scott Lindsey may be considering naming a similar team that has won three of their previous five matches in League 1.

Kamari Doyle, Junior Quitirna and Bradley Ibrahim have frequently been on the scoresheet in recent weeks and they will be hoping they can knock Birmingham while they're down.

Rushian Hepburn-Murphy is likely to partner Doyle up front and given his club history with Blues' bitter rivals Aston Villa, he will be eager to hurt the champions in their own backyard.

Birmingham vs Crawley Odds

Birmingham have won six of their last seven matches in League 1 and they are as short as 2/7 to come out on top on Friday. You can improve your odds by adding both teams to score to the selection, which has been a successful bet in each of Birmingham's past five league victories.

You can back this market at 9/5, which has an implied probability of 35.7%.

The two clubs have drawn 17 games between them in the third tier this term, and the stalemate is on offer at 18/5 for Friday.

Crawley have won three of their previous five league fixtures but just one of their last six away trips. They are 15/2 to stun Birmingham.

Blues forward May has four goals in his two latest appearances at St Andrew's and he is 19/20 to strike anytime against the Red Devils.

Birmingham and both teams to score @ 9/5

The Wembley defeat was a bit underwhelming after Birmingham had gained promotion and then the league title in the days leading up to their trip to the capital. It seemed like the occasion got the better of the players and they were beaten by a well-drilled Peterborough team.

They may be champions but Blues can write themselves into English football history as they chase down multiple points records. The players have the chance to put Wembley behind them with a commanding performance at home to struggling Crawley on Friday, which would take them within two points of a century with five games left to play.

Birmingham remain unbeaten in B9 in the league across 21 matches, and they are two games away from keeping that record intact for the whole campaign. This is another accolade the players are likely striving for, and against the team with the fourth-worst away record in the division, you have to fancy them to put three points on the board.

Crawley can certainly play their part in this contest, though, as they have scored in each of their previous six league matches. BTTS has also struck in their last three games ahead of this clash.

Birmingham vs Crawley - Match Result & Both Teams to Score Birmingham & Yes

9/5

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Odds correct at time of publishing.

Birmingham to win both halves @ 9/5

It may not have been the case on Sunday, but in their recent matches on home turf Birmingham have been devastatingly clinical. They have scored 10 goals in their recent meetings with Shrewsbury Town and Barnsley.

Crawley have the worst defensive record in the division with 81 goals conceded, and 58% (47) have come on their travels. The Red Devils have shipped 10 goals in their past three outings ahead of their trip to B9.

Their frail back line has been their undoing this term and it won't help them facing the top scorers in the division in Birmingham, who have found the back of the net on 73 occasions.

A big response is expected from the home side after their Wembley performance, and I think they can come out on top in both halves on Friday.

Birmingham vs Crawley - To Win Both Halves Birmingham

9/5

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Odds correct at time of publishing.

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