Steve Ogrizovic
Ex-Coventry City goalkeeper on BBC CWR

This is one to look forward to: a chance, if Coventry get three points and play well, to get a start on everybody else this weekend.

It's a local derby, which makes it tighter. Birmingham will be buoyed by 4,000 fans. Wayne Rooney was critical of his players last week - he gave them a blast in the media, too.

I'll be expecting a response from them but, if I'm being really honest, Coventry are the better side. If Coventry turn up and match the intensity Birmingham throw at them, they'll get the points.

Coventry City boss Mark Robins says all his players need is a little more belief in their own ability, as they look to rediscover the form that last season led to a play-off final.

The summer loss of Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer had a negative effect - and Robins says his side must stop giving their opponents too much respect.

"If you're not on the front foot in your head, you can end up giving teams a bit too much space and too much respect," Robins said.

"We're just lacking in that a bit. We've got to give ourselves an opportunity to be in the game, but not to step back. We're Coventry City. Puff our chests out and believe."

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, BBC Sport

The hosts make two changes from Saturday's starting XI at Ipswich as Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and Ellis Simms replace the benched Josh Eccles and Yasin Ayari.

Coventry are also without top scorer Matty Godden, who came on as a half-time substitute on Saturday - his wife has given birth to a baby boy in the past few hours.

Coventry City XI: Collins, Van Ewijk, Thomas, Kitching, Bidwell, Sheaf, O'Hare, Allen, Sakamoto, Simms, Wright.

Subs: Wilson, McFadzean, Binks, Latibeaudiere, Dasilva, Kelly, Palmer, Eccles, Ayari.

Birmingham City, meanwhile, make three changes - two enforced due to injuries sustained by defenders Dion Sanderson and Ethan Laird.

Oliver Burke also makes way, dropping to the bench, with Marc Roberts, teenager Jordan James and veteran striker Lukas Jutkiewicz the three to come in.

Birmingham City XI: Ruddy, Bacuna, Aiwu, Roberts, Buchanan, James, Bielik, Miyoshi, Stansfield, Dembele, Jutkiewicz.

Subs: Etheridge, Longelo, Oakley, Gardner, Khela, Sunjic, Burke, Donovan, Hogan.

Image source, BBC Sport

The two sides in action tonight have the opportunity to put some real breathing space between themselves and the Championship relegation zone with victory.

Neither, of course, will be too enamoured to see themselves in the bottom half of the table to begin with.

Coventry reached the play-off final last season, losing on penalties to Luton, while Birmingham were in the top six a couple of months back.

Image source, BBC Sport

Ged Scott
BBC Sport at the CBS Arena

It is just 17 sleeps until Christmas – the BBC festive radio playlist is already well in swing, and it is almost time to give seasonal thought to which is the preferred version of A Christmas Carol/Scrooge/The Muppets Christmas Carol we might all watch this Yuletide.

But, at Coventry tonight, it’s another Dickens classic that will capture the imagination... A Tale of Two Cities.

Can Coventry City’s always threatening but misfiring attackers finally find the way past the opposition goalkeeper on a more consistent basis?

Or will Birmingham City finally do something that they have so far failed to do in four games under Wayne Rooney – and get an away point?

Let’s just hope it’s a good one. And that my decision to head out into the Coventry cold tonight to report on it is “a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done”.

Image source, Rex Features

Image source, Rex Features

It's fair to say the Championship season hasn't quite gone as either of the West Midlands' boys in blue might have hoped.

Both the Blues of Birmingham City and their Sky Blue neighbours a few miles down the road in Coventry inhabit the bottom half of the table 19 games in.

Derby defeat tonight could leave either facing the prospect of a Blue Christmas, particularly Birmingham boss Wayne Rooney, whose St Andrew's tenure has got off to an underwhelming start.

We'll be bringing you all the action from the Coventry Building Society Arena so stay tuned to this page over the next two hours or so.