Birmingham vs Cardiff LIVE
35: Penalty? NO! Kenneth Zohore drives into the box and goes to ground after a challenge from Che Adams.
The referee waves away the Cardiff striker’s appeals and the crowd boo him in pantomime fashion.
28: CLANG! Birmingham midfielder David Davis breaks down the right wing and sends over a cross which grazes the crossbar.
25: Cardiff striker Kenneth Zohore finds space in the box, he cuts the ball back for Junior Hoilett but Maxime Colin clears.
That’s a bit more like it from Cardiff.
19: GOAL! We have the first goal of the Steve Cotterill era!
Che Adams picks up on a loose ball from Cardiff keeper Neil Etheridge, dances around a couple of defenders and fires a low shot from the edge of the box into the corner of the net.
16: Birmingham are on top here and Steve Cotterill will be pleased with his side’s efforts.
However, the new boss will be less pleased with Jacques Maghoma’s corner, which fails to beat the first man.
10: A well-worked short corner presents a crossing opportunity for Jacques Maghoma but Che Adams slips just as the ball is about to reach him.
6: Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce is in the crowd at St Andrew’s.
Villa play Birmingham in the first Second City Derby of the season in a couple of weeks’ time.
1: PEEP! We’re underway at St Andrew’s. Can Birmingham climb out of the relegation zone or will Cardiff extend their lead at the top of the table?
7.35pm: There could be handbags on the touchline tonight – between Steve Cotterill and Neil Warnock!
“There’s a great chance that [a row] will happen,” Cotterill said. “But that won’t mean I won’t have respect for him, or that I don’t like him.”
7.30pm: Neil Warnock has also been speaking to Sky Sports and he said: “It’ll be interesting to see how we cope.
“I think they’ll be really at us. We know what we’re up for.”
7.25pm: Steve Cotterill has been speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the game.
Birmingham head into the game in the relegation zone and when asked what they’ve been working on during the international break, he said: “Everything. All aspects of the game.”
They’ve been busy.
6.50pm: The line ups are out. Birmingham’s record signing Jota is on the bench while Cardiff make one change.
Birmingham: Kuszczak, Colin, Morrison, Roberts, Grounds, Davis, Ndoye, Kieftenbeld, Maghoma, Adams, Vassell
Subs: Trueman, Dean, Gleeson, Gardner, Jota, Gallagher, Jutkiewicz
Cardiff: Etheridge, Peltier, Ecuele Manga, Morrison, Bennett, Bamba, Bryson, Ralls, Hoilett, Mendez-Laing, Zohore
Subs: Murphy, Tomlin, Ward, Feeney, Connolly, Gunnarsson, Damour
6.45pm: Welcome to Express Sport‘s live coverage of Birmingham vs Cardiff. Line ups to follow in a minute.
PREVIEW
Steve Cotterill takes charge of Blues for the first time since replacing Harry Redknapp in the dugout.
“It’s a great moment for me,” he said.
“It’s a real family club and you just get the sense that everyone is in it together.
Birmingham could have record signing Jota available after a hamstring injury.
Cardiff boss Neil Warnock is delighted with his side’s start to the campaign but is refusing to get carried away.
“I don’t think there’s any expectations on us,” Warnock said.
“We don’t have to worry about that, as I don’t think our fans expected anything other than, ‘Can we try and get in the play-offs?’.
“I won’t let anyone get carried away – not even our fans. I don’t mind them dreaming, but not getting carried away.
Aron Gunnarsson will be assessed after helping Iceland to World Cup qualification.
