Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the FA Cup match.
Newcastle United enter this FA Cup Round of 16 tie with less preparation time than Birmingham, having just played the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final on 5 February. However, they are in high spirits after securing a place in the final.
Birmingham
The League One leaders have also had a busy schedule, playing a Football League Trophy quarter-final earlier in the week, where they scraped past Stevenage (1:0), only scoring in the 83rd minute. In League One, Birmingham have been dominant, unbeaten since 23 November, comfortably sitting top of the table. However, their FA Cup run has been relatively fortunate, as they faced another third-tier side, Lincoln (2:1), in the previous round. Against a Premier League club like Newcastle United, the challenge will be significantly tougher.
Newcastle United
Newcastle United have been inconsistent in the league, especially at home, where they have suffered back-to-back defeats to Bournemouth (1:4) and Fulham (1:2). However, their away form is much stronger, with five wins in recent matches, including victories over Arsenal (2:0 in the EFL Cup) and Manchester United (2:0).
Birmingham vs Newcastle United Prediction
Despite the tight turnaround, Newcastle’s quality should be enough to overcome a Birmingham side that has thrived in League One but lacks experience against top-tier opposition. The last time Birmingham faced a Premier League team in a similar scenario, they lost 0:2 to Fulham in the EFL Cup. Expect Newcastle to control the match and win by a comfortable margin.
