Lincoln City will look to progress into the Emirates FA Cup fourth round for the first time since 2017, when they face Birmingham City.
That year, the Imps reached the quarter final stage of the competition, before being knocked out by eventual winners Arsenal.
Michael Skubala’s side fell to a 3-1 defeat last time out against the Blues in their league clash at the LNER Stadium in October, but Lincoln have scored four goals in both of their two FA Cup games so far, after a routine win against Chesham United and a seven-goal thriller at Crawley Town.
Travelling to St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park, in a third round meeting at midday on Saturday, January 11, the Imps will be looking for a rare win over Birmingham.
Opposition: Birmingham City
Birmingham City are two points clear at the top of the table in Sky Bet League One with two games in hand, 21 points above Lincoln, who occupy 12th spot.
The Blues were relegated from the Championship last term, by one point behind Plymouth Argyle, a side who recently sacked former Birmingham boss Wayne Rooney at the end of December.
Former Tottenham Hotspur assistant boss Chris Davies was appointed on a four-year deal in June.
His side have 16 wins from a possible 23 in the first-half of the season, unbeaten in their last nine league games and in all their home league games at St Andrew’s so far.
The Blues have also got to the third round of the EFL Trophy, with wins against Blackpool and Sutton United in this season’s Emirates FA Cup to match.
Team News:
This week, Michael Skubala revealed that goalkeeper George Wickens is sidelined for the trip to the West Midlands. Zach Jeacock will be recalled from his Southend United loan, to give the choice of the former Birmingham City keeper or Jamie Pardington.
Ben House remains absent through the injury that ruled him out of the Stevenage game.
This match may also come too soon for Erik Ring despite returning to training, after struggling with illness.
Tyler Walker is still out with his long-term calf problem, as is Tom Hamer, after surgery.
Bailey Cadamarteri scored for the Imps in their last League One meeting, with Simon Yeo netting the Imps’ last goal at St. Andrew’s, back in a League Cup clash in 2004.
Head to Head:
This will be the 39th meeting between these two sides. Lincoln City have won just four of the 38 games against Birmingham City so far, drawing a further eight.
The last four meetings, each in different competitions, have all resulted in wins for the Blues.
The Imps last ran out 1-0 victors over Birmingham away from home in their meeting in Division Two, back in April 1911 at St Andrew’s. The Titanic was still being built at the time.
This is just the second time these sides have met in the FA Cup, with the previous clash back in 1969, a 2-1 win for the Blues in the third round.
Birmingham City are unbeaten in their last 18 matches against Lincoln in all competitions, dating back to the aforementioned game in 1911.
Played for Both: Ryan Allsop
Goalkeeper Ryan Allsop started out as a youth player at West Brom and spent time at both Millwall and Leyton Orient.
He then joined AFC Bournemouth in 2013. After the Cherries were promoted to the Premier League in 2015, Allsop made his debut in the top division as a half time substitute, in a 3-3 draw against Everton in November of that year.
This was followed by various loans at Coventry, Wycombe, Portsmouth and Blackpool.
He joined the Imps on loan from Bournemouth on January’s deadline day in 2018, until the end of the season. This came about after an injury to first choice ‘keeper Josh Vickers.
Allsop proved a pivotal signing by then Imps boss Danny Cowley, after making a crucial save in a 4-2 penalty win against Chelsea under-21s in the EFL Trophy semi finals, which Lincoln City then went on to win.
He moved to Hull City, before jumping ship to Birmingham. Allsop now lines up as the Blues’ first choice goalkeeper, with nine clean sheets collected from 16 games in League One this term.