Darren Carter
Ex-Birmingham midfielder on BBC Radio WM

You'd say that Leicester will dominate possession tonight but I'm sure Chris Davies, with the way he wants to play, will want his team to get on the ball himself.

It will be interesting to see that Blues press that I've been so impressed with so far and how that's affects Leicester. Can they put pressure on them?

Obviously they're a very good team with the ball so if Blues get that press right I think this is the marker for them. Going up against this calibre of opposition, let's see how well they fare.

Michael Morrison
Former Leicester and Birmingham defender on BBC Radio Leicester

Birmingham have made a good start to the season and they've recruited well.

It'll be interesting if Demarai Gray scores tonight.

You'll probably see where both teams are this evening.

I think Leicester will be the favourites, with the quality they have on the pitch, but I don't think the odds are too far away.

Image source, Getty Images

It's that time of year when the rumour mill is in overdrive with clubs seeking to tie up their final deals before the transfer window closes at 19:00 BST on Monday, 1 September.

Birmingham City are being linked with a potential move for former England international Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with the midfielder having just left Turkish side Besiktas.

According to BBC Football Reporter Nick Mashiter: "Oxlade-Chamberlain is also understood to have Premier League interest while a sentimental return to Southampton - where he started his career - cannot be ruled out but strong interest remains from St Andrew's."

Besiktas are reported to have paid the 32-year-old £1.5m in compensation to terminate his contract and Mashiter says, "wages are not expected to be an issue with Oxlade-Chamberlain believed to be realistic and aware not to price himself out of any move."

Birmingham boss Chris Davies is keen to add to his squad before Monday.

"I would like to finish off the squad over the next few days," he told BBC Radio WM.

"There's nothing quite like the transfer deadline as it's played out in public - it would be nice if we could (add to the squad) but we'll have to see how the next few days go."

Image source, Rex Features

• Leicester fans, how have you rated these first few weeks under Marti Cifuentes? What's been good, and what concerns you?
• Which player or players can you absolutely, positively not afford to lose before Monday's deadline if you want to be in the promotion race?
• As for Blues supporters, being realistic, what were your expectations for 2025-26 in the summer and has this impressive start altered them at all?
• What signings, if any, do you need to make before the transfer window closes?

Let us know on the usual channels and we will publish the best responses.

Birmingham's procession to the League One title in record-breaking fashion was as spectacular as it was expected.

Given the ambition of their American owners and the level of investment, the Championship is the least they should be aiming for.

Blues hopes are a lot loftier, although after an unbeaten start boss Chris Davies is trying to keep a lid on things.

"I said I didn't look at the league table in League One and even in this league I'm not someone who looks obeseesviely at it," he told BBC Radio WM.

"You won't see any formation in the table until Christmas and even then you can have late runs (from teams)."

A win tonight would lift them to the top of the table, you know, the one Davies doesn't look at, but a loss and they could be mid-table tomorrow - it's early in the season but it'll be close in this division for the whole campaign.

"We have to be consistent in our performance and if we are we'll win games, pick up points and progress," he added.

"My job is to make decisions and pick a team, picking a strategy is the most important part of the job and that's what I focus all my energy on."

Fair to say the jury remains ever so slightly out on Leicester City and Marti Cifuentes so far this season?

Two wins and a defeat is steady enough and better than Southampton and Ipswich who came down with them from the Premier League, but a degree of early scepticism remains.

Midfielder Kasey McAteer and defender James Justin have left for Ipswich and Leeds respectively in the past week while speculation surrounds the futures of Ghana international Abdul Fatawu and fellow midfielder Bilal El Khannouss.

It's hardly the ideal situation for the relatively new boss to work in.

"If you ask me if it's easy, probably not, what matters is we get results and grow as a team," Cifuentes told BBC Radio Leicester

"I'm aware the situation we are in. I am convinced I want to be here and I know the challenges we may have in this period but we are not exceptional or different from many other clubs."

A striker is yet to score a league goal for the Foxes this season and the manager is aware fans want that area strengthened before the transfer window closes on Monday.

"All the fans in the world will always ask for another striker in their team - it's not an easy market for strikers as it's normally the most expensive one " he said.

"At the moment we have Patson Daka as the one pure striker then we have Jordan Ayew who has played as a striker before but in my opinion he's more of a hybrid striker who can play as a number 10.

"We are working with these two in that position and we will see what happens in the next few days."

We're under way in tonight's sole game in League Two.

A reminder that Salford can go joint top with a win ahead of tomorrow's games while bottom side Cheltenham have lost all five league games so far this season.

We'll keep you posted on events at the Peninsula Stadium throughout the evening.

Image source, Rex Features

There's a chance for either of these two sides to steal a march on their rivals tonight.

A win for Birmingham City will definitely see them sitting top of the pile ahead of tomorrow's games.

There is an opportunity for Leicester as well but they will need a win and a big one to hit the summit on goal difference.

Image source, PA Media

These two have experienced, shall we say, contrasting starts to their campaigns which have resulted in very different expectations.

Salford's three wins in a row sandwiched in between two defeats have them nicely tucked in ninth place with the possibility of joining Crewe and Chesterfield at the top on 12 points tonight.

Karl Robinson has also added no fewer than four new signings to his squad in the past eight days which is surely a sign of intent.

Meanwhile, Cheltenham head to Greater Manchester on the back of five successive defeats which sees them as the only League Two side yet to register a point and "in the eye of a storm" according to boss Michael Flynn.

Off the field there are reasons to be cheerful for the Robins with the club taken over by former Burnley chairman Mike Garlick last week.

But it's points Cheltenham and Flynn need quickly, with Salford hardly the ideal opponents to be running into tonight when you're trying to escape a storm.

Image source, Opta

These two sides were playing two divisions apart last season but go into this match with the unbeaten Blues two places and one point ahead of the Foxes in the fledgling Championship standings.

• Leicester have won each of their past four league games against Birmingham City, two via a 2-1 scoreline and the other two via a 3-2 scoreline.
• Birmingham City have won just two of their past 12 away league games against Leicester (D2 L8), failing to win on any of their last four visits to the King Power Stadium.
• Leicester have won each of their past three home league games and will be looking to win four in succession for the first time since April 2024.
• Through their opening three Championship matches this season, Birmingham have faced just 18 shots in total and four shots on target – no side has faced fewer of either in the 2025-26 competition.

Image source, Opta

There is one change for Birmingham from the side which beat Oxford 1-0 in the Championship last weekend and it's quite a change as well.

Top scorer Jay Stansfield has failed to recover from a foot injury sustained in the midweek EFL Cup defeat by Port Vale and Lewis Koumas makes his full league debut for Blues.

Leicester boss Marti Cifuentes also makes one alteration to his side with teenage sensation Jeremy Monga dropping to the bench to be replaced by Stephy Mavididi.

There is also no Bilal El Khannouss in the Foxes squad for a second straight game - a sign he's on his way out I wonder?

Image source, Opta

Image source, Rex Features

Evening all,

Well the announcement of an England squad today means there must be an international break around the corner but not before we've brought you the drama of an EFL weekend.

We've got a doozy of a game to kick us off tonight as relegated Leicester City meet promoted Birmingham City.

These two departed the Championship in different directions 16 months ago but, after very contrasting experiences last term, here we are again to resume battle once more.

We're all up for this one so we'll get cracking shall we?