Birmingham City talking points after the 1-1 draw with Sheffield United at St Andrew’s
05:37, 15 Mar 2026Updated 05:43, 15 Mar 2026
Birmingham City drew 1-1 with Sheffield United
Birmingham City couldn’t beat 10-man Sheffield United at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park on Saturday in another dent to their fading promotion hopes.
Three points were there for the taking when Femi Seriki saw red for a 23rd minute foul on Ibrahim Osman and Marvin Ducksch fired the resulting free-kick into the top corner.
But the Blades hit back on the stroke of half-time through Patrick Bamford and also missed a first half penalty.
Blues couldn’t respond to early results
It feels as though every game is a must-win for Blues at the moment and the fact they couldn’t beat Sheffield United – despite the Blades playing 70-odd minutes with 10 men – is a blow to their increasingly slim chances of making the play-offs.
Sixth-placed Wrexham beat Swansea City 2-0 on Friday night and seventh-placed Southampton strengthened their position as first reserve for the play-offs by winning at Coventry in Saturday’s early kick-off.
Blues might have moved up to ninth courtesy of their point, but they lost more ground on the top-six.
If Wrexham win their game-in-hand at Watford on Tuesday, the gap will reach 10 points with eight games to play. That is a tall order, especially if Southampton also win their game-in-hand against Norwich on Wednesday to put seven points between themselves and Blues.
Robinson red-faced
Jack Robinson has worked hard to get his Blues career back on track after two red cards in his first four matches, plus an own goal in a dire display versus Hull City back in October.
His performances over Christmas, when others around him struggled, earned him credit and he excelled against QPR in midweek.
But, based on the video evidence, his handball for United’s penalty was inexplicable.
He clearly thought Beadle was giving him the ball to take a goal-kick – even though Beadle took all the other goal-kicks himself and replays show Robinson saw the goalkeeper pick the ball up inside his area to prevent a goal-kick.
Was there a whistle? No one else heard it if there was.
It is another lowlight for Robinson who will be glad to see the back of the 2025/26 campaign.
Jack Robinson talks with referee Tim Robinson after a penalty is given
Ducksch is trying to be decisive
It has been easy to be critical of Ducksch at points this season, but no one tried harder to turn one point into three on Saturday.
Watching Ducksch off-the-ball in the past two games has been encouraging. He has appeared invested and determined to keep this season alive.
Ducksch’s Werder Bremen highlights reel promised free-kick goals and his first in Royal Blue was a beauty – side-footed powerfully beyond the clutches of goalkeeper Adam Davies.
Davies was beaten in the second half when Ducksch whipped a free-kick towards the other corner only for the crossbar to save the Blades. That was one of three times Ducksch hit the woodwork on a day where his luck was out.
Chris Davies has referred to Ducksch as a ‘big player’ this season, indeed Ducksch has himself used those words, so it is encouraging to see him taking on that mantle.
Ducksch is now Blues’ top scorer in the Championship with 10 goals and it’s difficult to argue with the numbers.
Support for Beadle
Two weeks ago James Beadle endured one of the most challenging nights of his young career when his distribution put St Andrew’s on edge against Middlesbrough.
Beadle finished the 90 minutes and Davies supported him post-match.
Even on Wednesday, when Blues defeated QPR without any real scares, supporters seemed anxious when Beadle got involved.
Fast-forward a few days and Beadle’s name was ringing around St Andrew’s after two saves of note – one from Sydie Peck’s penalty and another from Bamford’s close range header.
The support for Beadle pleased Davies.
“That was excellent,” he said. “The crowd really responded to him today. I was pleased with him and the stadium as well. The fans really stayed with us and were willing the ball to go in the goal.”
Sheffield United’s Sydie Peck has a penalty saved by James Beadle
The home record is good – but it’s not enough
A lot has been made about Blues’ home record this season – even Chris Wilder made mention of it in his post-match press conference to support his own team’s performance – but it hasn’t been perfect since December.
Blues have played 10 home games since mid-December, winning three, drawing six and losing once for 15 points from a possible 30.
When all is said and done, we will look back on Blues’ away record, their set piece record or their summer recruitment as being the main reasons why they missed out on the play-offs, but their home form has tailed off from what it was.
Statistically, Blues have the fifth best home record in the Championship and that hasn’t been enough to sustain the fifth worst away record in the league.
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