Birmingham City face a significant Championship derby test this Sunday when they host Wolverhampton Wanderers at St Andrew's. The lunchtime kickoff presents an opportunity for Chris Davies's team to secure their first home victory of the 2026/27 campaign, according to a preview published by wolves.co.uk.
Birmingham currently sit 10th in the Championship table with seven points from five games, having recorded one win and four draws. Their recent form reads DDWDD, and they have scored seven goals while conceding six, giving them a positive goal difference of one. The Blues trail league leaders Swansea City by four points as they prepare for this West Midlands encounter.
How has Birmingham City's season started?
Chris Davies's side has shown resilience in the early stages of the season. They have lost just once in 2026, a Carabao Cup second-round defeat to Brentford. In the Championship, Birmingham have earned six points from four matches with victories over Wrexham and draws against Sheffield United, Bristol City, and Southampton. Their defensive unit has provided stability, with the back four remaining unchanged for every league game so far. Goalkeeper James Beadle has been a constant presence behind that settled defense.
Midfield consistency comes from Jhon Solis and Tomoki Iwata, who are expected to retain their starting roles. Competition for wide positions is intense, with Patrick Roberts, Carlos Vicente, Demarai Gray, Liam Millar, Jay Stansfield, and August Priske all vying for places. The injury list includes Lee Buchanan, Marc Leonard, and Max Bird, who remain unavailable for selection. Fans can check the latest squad availability on our injuries page.
What challenge do Wolves present?
Wolves arrive at St Andrew's following their first defeat of the season, a 4-2 loss to West Ham United. Before that setback, Gary O'Neil's team had taken seven points from their opening three Championship fixtures. They have been potent in attack, scoring 16 goals across their first six matches in all competitions. Manager Cesar Peixoto named an unchanged side after a victory over Preston North End, but he has options with Santi Bueno and Ladislav Krejci now fit and available after being on the bench against West Ham.
Adam Armstrong is pushing for a starting role after being the first substitute used in recent games. The visitors will be without Kieran Trippier, Rafiki Said, and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde due to injury. One intriguing subplot involves Jordan James, who is aiming to start against the club where he began his professional career. The full Championship standings show the competitive landscape both teams are navigating.
What is the history between these rivals?
The last derby meeting between these sides occurred in December 2017, with Birmingham securing a 1-0 victory thanks to a goal from Leo Bonatini. That result adds another layer to this long-standing West Midlands rivalry. Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo reflected on a previous encounter, stating, "Birmingham took more risks second half, but we deserved to win and we deserved a clean sheet."
Nuno added his perspective on the physical nature of derby matches. "As long as football is played under the law, I'm not worried," he said. "There were some hard challenges on Jota. I'm not against being aggressive, as long as you are fair."
What comes next for Birmingham City?
Following Sunday's derby, Birmingham's attention will quickly turn to their next Championship fixture. They travel to face Norwich City on Wednesday, September 9th. Norwich currently occupy 12th position in the table, setting up another closely contested match. The upcoming schedule, including this quick turnaround, is available on our fixtures page.
The Blues' immediate focus remains on breaking their home duck against a Wolves side determined to bounce back from defeat. With both teams separated by just a few points in the mid-table region, the result could provide important momentum. Birmingham's next match away at Carrow Road follows just three days after this derby clash.
