SM
Real Madrid vs. Mallorca: 20 hrs 15 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
BL
Championship | Gameweek 41
Apr 10, 2021 at 3pm UK
St. Andrew's Stadium
SL

Birmingham
2 - 0
Stoke

Jutkiewicz (42', 53')
Gardner (85')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Fletcher (45')

Lee Bowyer hails "very professional performance" in Stoke win

:Headline: Lee Bowyer hails 'very professional performance' in Stoke win: ID:442695: from db_amp
Blues made it 10 points from Lee Bowyer's five games in charge.

Birmingham head coach Lee Bowyer refused to claim his side are safe despite going nine points clear of the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone with a 2-0 win over Stoke.

Blues made it 10 points from Bowyer's five games in charge since he replaced Aitor Karanka after this victory moved them up to 18th with five matches left to play this season.

But third-bottom Rotherham still have four games in hand on them – two before they play Birmingham in eight days' time and all at home – leading Bowyer to sound a cautionary note.

"We are not safe. There's a lot of football to go – 15 points to play for," he said.

"We are only nine points in front of them and they have got four games in hand. And we have got to play them – that's our next game.

"We have given ourselves a chance. If we keep putting performances in like that and keep picking up points, we should be OK but we can't get away from what's getting us to this situation."

Bowyer added: "It was a very professional performance.

"Defensively we looked solid. Whenever they asked questions they dealt with it. It was very good from start to finish."

Lukas Jutkiewicz's brace made it 50 in the league for the club to give Blues their third successive home win for the first time since October 2019, while a third straight clean sheet was a first for them in just over three years.

Jutkiewicz broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute with a tremendous header from a deep cross from Marc Roberts.

Burly striker Jutkiewicz rifled home in the 53rd minute after goalkeeper Adam Davies failed to hold a 25-yard curling effort from half-time substitute Riley McGree.

The 32-year-old striker was not starting under Karanka but Bowyer said: "He's always going to score goals in this division if you give him the right service and opportunity to score goals.

"I'm pleased for him because he worked so hard up there."

Stoke's slump continued as they made it six defeats in their last 10 games.

Until Blues scored, Michael O'Neill's side looked the more likely scorers.

But John Obi Mikel and Rhys Norrington-Davies missed chances while Steven Fletcher had an effort ruled out for offside.

O'Neill said: "We started well and the one disallowed was a very tight offside but then we switched off.

"With the throw-in, we expected it long and they threw it short – the other 500 throw-ins have been long.

"We didn't defend the cross either and we've got to block the runner.

"For the second goal, we didn't get out to the ball – it was a poor defensive header, Adam (Davies) spilled the shot and they scored off the rebound."

O'Neill also criticised the officials, claiming they allowed Blues to waste time.

"The officials allowed the game to go so slowly," he said.

"They have a responsibility to keep the game flowing but their right centre back was going to the far left-hand side to take throw-ins at a very slow pace."

O'Neill also claimed the law on throw-ins should be altered, despite having former long throw-in expert and Stoke coach Rory Delap next to him in the dugout.

"Personally I think they should change the rule and it should be offside from a throw-in and it would stop that," he said.

amp_article__442695 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2021-04-10 17:55:21:
html db last update - 2021-04-10 17:55:21 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html
Read more!

Click here for more stories about Lee Bowyer

Click here for more stories about Birmingham City

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Birmingham CityBirmingham23165241172453
2Wycombe WanderersWycombe25156450272351
3Wrexham25156437181951
4Huddersfield TownHuddersfield24145537191847
5Barnsley2512673933642
6Reading2412573933641
7Stockport CountyStockport25108737271038
8Leyton Orient24114932221037
9Mansfield TownMansfield2311483126537
10Bolton WanderersBolton2311483534137
11Charlton AthleticCharlton239772721634
12Lincoln CityLincoln258892830-232
13Stevenage238781820-231
14Exeter CityExeter2494112831-331
15Blackpool247983235-330
16Rotherham UnitedRotherham237792123-228
17Wigan AthleticWigan2376102123-227
18Northampton TownNorthampton2568112439-1526
19Peterborough UnitedPeterborough2474134146-525
20Bristol Rovers2474132238-1625
21Crawley TownCrawley2355132443-1920
22Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury2445152444-2017
23Cambridge UnitedCambridge2445152243-2117
24Burton Albion2428142038-1814
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .