Stevenage vs Birmingham Prediction: Blues to reach a century

Stevenage welcome League 1 champions Birmingham City to the Lamex Stadium on Thursday (19:45, Sky Sports+) with nothing but pride to play for in the last three games of the campaign. The Boro have lost four of their last six matches coming into this contest but were victorious at Bristol Rovers on Monday.

The title may have already been wrapped up but the Blues are gunning for history as they bid to break various records in the final weeks of the campaign. Read on for my Stevenage vs Birmingham predictions, aided by the latest team news and match odds.

Football Odds

Team News

Stevenage boss Alex Revell has no fresh concerns coming into Thursday's fixture and he will hope his side are better prepared to face Birmingham having faced them twice already this term.

Jamie Reid was the match-winner on Monday and he will be hoping to keep his place in the team to face the Blues. Elliott List, Jordan Roberts and Kyle Edwards provided the front man attacking support in Bristol and Revell may be tempted to leave the attacking quartet intact.

Dan Kemp, who is Boro's top scorer this season, was a surprising omission at the Memorial Stadium and it remains to be seen if he will be recalled on Thursday.

Scott Wright, Lee Buchanan (both knee) and Lyndon Dykes (calf) remain out of action for Birmingham due to injury. The former two won't be seen again for the rest of the season and it is looking unlikely that Dykes will make it back before the end of term, either.

Emil Hansson has missed his team's past six matches in all competitions. Boss Chris Davies had hoped he would be back in contention for the Easter weekend but his absence has continued and it is doubtful that he will be involved on Thursday.

Davies made a few changes against Burton Albion on Monday with the likes of Keshi Anderson, Paik Seung-ho and Ethan Laird dropping to the bench. If he rotates his side again, those three players could return to the XI in Stevenage.

Stevenage vs Birmingham Odds

Stevenage have won just one of their previous five league matches at the Lamex and they are priced at 3/1 to stun the champions on Thursday.

Birmingham have drawn two of their last six road trips in the third tier and the stalemate is on offer at 9/4.

The Blues are 5/6 to come away with the three points, which they have accomplished in five of their past six appearances in League 1.

Both teams to score has been a winning selection in each of their five latest away trips in the league, and BTTS is marketed at 10/11.

Birmingham and over 2.5 goals @ 11/5

After a disappointing draw with Crawley Town on Good Friday, Birmingham responded with three points at Burton on Easter Monday. Two late first-half goals were enough for the Blues as the Brewers bagged a late consolation in the second half.

The Blues are now a point away from reaching the 100-point mark but with four games left to play, the champions want to go further than that. Birmingham are on the trail of a historic campaign as they have the chance to break several records.

First up is the League 1 points record (103) set by Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2013/14. They can also surpass the EFL points record (106) set by Reading in the 2005/06 Championship season.

Going much further into the past, this Birmingham team has the chance to break a 78-year-old record. Doncaster Rovers' 33 wins from the 1946/47 Third Division North campaign has been unmatched for almost eight decades but the Blues are just four wins away from taking that accolade for themselves.

On paper their match with Stevenage may seem a dead rubber, but they have still got plenty to fight for in terms of getting into the history books. Birmingham have the psychological advantage of having beaten their opponents twice already this season (once in the Vertu Trophy), so I think they will claim their second victory at the Lamex this term.

I've added over 2.5 goals to the selection because it has been a successful bet in each of their previous six triumphs in the third tier.

Both teams to score @ 10/11

Over 2.5 goals in Birmingham's last six victories coincides with my second pick for Thursday. Both teams to score is an attractive punt in SG2 because it was a winning selection in each of those wins. As well as this, BTTS has struck in Birmingham's past five away trips in League 1.

There were also goals at both ends when these two teams last met at St Andrew's back in March, with Stevenage grabbing a late consolation like Burton did earlier in the week.

The Boro have experienced BTTS in each of their last four home contests in the league, so I think there is value to be had with this market.

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