If Championship managers want to stop Birmingham City this season, they should start by looking to the left

Birmingham City were promoted back to the Championship at the first time of asking and were immediately cast in the role of Premier League hopefuls. So forthright was their ambition, so unapologetic their bravado, that it couldn’t be any other way. They now have their feet under the table and they’re starting to make a noise. Birmingham moved into third place with a 4-0 home win over Preston North End . They’ve picked up just over half of the points available to them. In what will surely be an open play-offs race, that sort of return is an adequate foundation.