Birmingham City vs Derby County Prediction 26.12.2025 | Championship

Back in the EFL Championship following a record-breaking League One campaign, Birmingham City have experienced an uneven start to life in the second tier, entering the Boxing Day round sitting 14th in the standings.

The American-owned club, led by manager Chris Davies, harbours clear ambitions of pushing towards the Premier League. However, to reignite their playoff aspirations, the Blues must arrest a recent dip in form after collecting just one point from their last four Championship fixtures.

All three defeats in that run came on the road, while the picture at St Andrew’s has been far more encouraging. Prior to their most recent home outing — a 1-1 draw against Charlton — Birmingham had put together an impressive four-match winning streak on home soil, posting a commanding combined scoreline of 12-1.

In terms of team news, right-back Bright Osayi-Samuel is currently away on international duty with Nigeria at the AFCON, while Lee Buchanan, Ethan Laird, and Scott Wright are sidelined with injury. Midfielder Thomas Doyle will also miss out as he serves a two-match suspension following his red card in the previous fixture.

Meanwhile, Derby County travel to St Andrew’s for the Boxing Day clash, sitting in a 12th position in the Championship, level on points with fellow mid-table sides Southampton and Leicester — both teams initially tipped as title contenders before the season began.

The Rams, under the guidance of former Birmingham City player John Eustace, have shown resilience this campaign and remain very much in the mix around the fringes of the play-off places, just five points shy of sixth-placed Millwall.

Interestingly, Derby’s recent form has been far more impressive on the road than at Pride Park, boasting one of the division’s strongest away records. They have won all but one of their last five league trips, demonstrating a notable ability to perform under pressure.

The key to their success away from home lies in their potent attacking threat, having scored two or more goals in four of their last five away fixtures. Their confidence is further boosted by a strong record at St Andrew’s, having netted three or more goals in three of their last five visits to Birmingham.

However, John Eustace faces a selection challenge, as he will be without key trio Lewis Travis, David Ozoh, and experienced striker Carlton Morris, all sidelined due to injury concerns ahead of this crucial Boxing Day clash.