CHAMPIONSHIP .....

SWANSEA CITY - BIRMINGHAM CITY

I am going to start in South Wales, which, like much of the UK, is currently being battered by fairly high winds. This will suit the ball playing skills of the home side, who are happy to keep the ball on the ground and can pass most teams off the pitch at this level. Roberto Martinez's team now feel completely at home in the Championship, they have lost just one league start in nine, which came away to table toppers Wolves and know that, if allowed to play, they are superior to most teams in the division. Martinez only signs players that are comfortable on the ball and it is no exaggeration to say that they have dominated 13 of their 17 starts this season, for a newly promoted team that is staggering, but City were no normal Division 1 side last season and were probably the best team to have ever played at that level.

They need to get as many points as possible on board in the next 5-6 weeks, as it will be very difficult to keep key midfielder Ferre Bodde at the club, the dutchman has half the Premiership clubs chasing him and has an agreement with Swansea and Martinez, that he will be allowed to leave, if an offer from a top flight club is made.

The visitors have gone off the boil a little, after making a flying start to the season, collecting just four points from the same number of starts, a case can be made that they were lucky to have even collected that many, as struggling Charlton led 2-1 at St Andrews last week and had chances to increase that lead, before the game turned on an error by the visiting keeper. The Blues are really short of numbers in midfield, which is where Swansea are at their strongest and that will be key to deciding the destiny of the points. As discussed in the past, the hosts are very difficult to beat at home, especially in night games, where the Liberty Stadium takes on a special atmosphere. Home win for me.

5 points Swansea -1/4 ball 2.20 asian line.... now 2.05

Good Luck.