Birmingham City have points target to avoid relegation as Tyler Roberts steps up

Birmingham City toasted three precious points last night after a thumping 3-0 win over Coventry City.

Blues produced one of their best performances of the season to beat the FA Cup semi-finalists and end their hopes of making the play-offs. The win lifted Blues back above the relegation zone after Bristol City pegged Huddersfield Town back to a 1-1 draw in the 100th minute at Ashton Gate.

With three games to play, Blues are 21st in the Championship on 45 points, one more than Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday who are 22nd and 23rd respectively. They still have Rotherham United, Huddersfield and Norwich City to play but, crucially, Blues’ fate is now back in their own hands.

Here are our talking points following Blues’ morale-boosting victory…

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Grit and guts

Twenty-odd thousand Bluenoses turned up to St Andrew’s wanting to see a ‘Blues performance’ and they certainly got one. Gary Rowett selected an XI that would work tirelessly in and out of possession and play within the framework that he had set out on the training pitches.

Blues’ midfield has been crying out for Ivan Sunjic in recent weeks. The Croatian provided relentless running power and his first goal in two years.

Keshi Anderson is the third most glamorous left winger in the eyes of most supporters behind Juninho Bacuna and Siriki Dembele, however he is probably more selfless and diligent in his defensive work. When Anderson made a poor square pass that was intercepted by Haji Wright early in the second half he charged back towards his own box and eventually dispossessed the Coventry forward to atone for his error.

It wasn’t only Sunjic and Anderson, every Blues player who started understood what was required. The standard has now been set for the final three.

A sprinkling of quality from Roberts

Every team of grafters needs a sprinkling of quality. Tyler Roberts provided it against Coventry.

He is still an outstanding player at Championship level and his two goal-creating passes proved it. Roberts cut Coventry open with his best performance in a Blues shirt by a mile.

The frustration with Roberts has never been related to his ability. Maybe now the 25-year-old looks fit and fresh, Blues will get the version Marcelo Bielsa raved about at Leeds United.

Dropping Bielik back a masterstroke

Rowett reserved praise for Krystian Bielik’s role in Blues’ third goal in his post-match press conference. Bielik channelled his inner John Stones to step into midfield and dictate a move which resulted in Jay Stansfield scoring.

When Bielik was sold the central defensive dream by Tony Mowbray earlier this year, a hybrid role akin to the one Stones plays for Manchester City was mooted. Sunjic intelligently dropped in alongside Dion Sanderson to let Bielik orchestrate a team goal.

Rowett wants Bielik to play the role of a more orthodox centre-back, but he won’t complain if the Pole steps forward to the same effect again. Who knows where Bielik will play long-term, it is obvious that he is the best option at the back for Blues at the moment.

Four points might do it

We are all plotting Blues’ route to survival and the League One nightmares will only stop when the team is mathematically safe. You can hazard a good guess as to how many points Blues will need, though.

Blues are now on 45 points and that would have been enough to secure safety in each of the past three seasons. The likelihood is that 49 points will be required to stay up this term.

Another perk of Saturday’s win is that Blues have dragged Stoke and QPR - both of whom have worse goal differences than Blues - back to within touching distance. The more the merrier as far as Blues are concerned.

Based on Blues’ superior goal difference to Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday, four points from games against Rotherham, the Terriers and Norwich could be enough. If Blues reach 49, Huddersfield or Sheffield Wednesday would probably have to reach 50 to relegate them.

That would mean two wins from Swansea (h), Blues (h) and Ipswich (a) for Huddersfield, and the same for Wednesday from Blackburn (a), West Brom (h) and Sunderland (a). Saturday’s win was enormous.

Do you think 49 points will be enough? Have your say in the comments section HERE