Anderson starts, 4-2-3-1: The predicted Birmingham City XI to face Wycombe | OneFootball

Football League World has predicted Birmingham City's starting XI for their trip to Wycombe Wanderers this weekend

Birmingham City will embark on their first trip of the 2024/25 League One campaign as they travel to Adams Park for Saturday afternoon's showdown at Wycombe Wanderers.

Blues played out a 1-1 draw at home to Reading in their much-anticipated third-tier curtain raiser last weekend but will be buoyed by Tuesday evening's slender 1-0 Carabao Cup first-round advancement over Charlton Athletic.

Wycombe lost on the opening day to Wrexham but will be looking to cause an upset when Birmingham roll into town after beating Northampton Town in the first round.

Birmingham already have some known absentees, with Lee Buchanan and Alfie Chang both injured for Saturday's fixture.

Meanwhile, Dion Sanderson will be ruled out with suspension after receiving his marching orders at Charlton, and it remains to be seen whether Willum Willumson will make the cut after being withdrawn through injury during Blues' opener last weekend.

With that in mind, Football League World has taken a go at predicting how Chris Davies will line up for his second league match in charge this weekend...

GK: Bailey Peacock-Farrell

Even though Ryan Allsop helped Birmingham advance to the second round after saving Tyreece Campbell's spot-kick, it still feels unlikely that Davies will elect a change between the sticks just yet.

Peacock-Farrell started against Reading and will likely do so once again at Adams Park, although Davies has two quality shot-stoppers at his disposal by League One standards and neither goalkeeper will feel comfortable and absolutely secure of their spot.

From defence, Laird proved a vital attacking force against the Royals, with Koji Miyoshi and Siriki Dembele both flattering to deceive further up the pitch.

The ex-Man United man should really be a cut above third tier level, but he now has fresh competition in the form of Alfons Sampsted, who has recently joined on loan from FC Twente of the Netherlands.

CB: Krystian Bielik

Capable at the heart of defence or in midfield, Bielik's versatility should see him instated as a key figure all year long and he was imperious in his side's opener.

Calm and collected in possession to help Blues fulfill Davies' philosophy of playing out from the back but also commanding and dominant in duels, Bielik is a real asset to have and was named as captain earlier this month.

CB: Christoph Klarer

It seems likely that summer signing Klarer is in line for his league debut this weekend.

The German defender boasts a strong reputation from his time at Darmstadt, featuring 30 times in the Bundesliga last season, and will seemingly have a strong chance to show his worth in Sanderson's absence through suspension.

Although academy product Brandon Khela did score the winner at the Valley from his newly-tested left-back role, Wycombe are a high-pressing, hard-tackling physical outfit and for that reason, it just doesn't feel like the right game to throw the 19-year-old into.

That should see Cochrane retain his starting spot for the second league match running, having moved from Hearts over the summer.

CM: Marc Leonard

Among the most impressive of Blues' summer arrivals to date, the former Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder was one of the top midfield maestro's in League One last season with Northampton Town, and it's a real coup that Birmingham managed to sign him in the first place, so he can rest assured about his starting spot on Saturday afternoon.

He's already started both of Blues' opening competitive affairs and will surely do so once again against Wycombe, with Bielik sitting in defence and Jordan James departed for Stade Rennais.

CM: Seung-Ho Paik

Barring any unprecedented circumstances, it seems as though Davies has already decided on his midfield pivot - and it's an extremely strong one.

Both Leonard and Paik are among the very best midfielders at this level and will surely partner each other on Saturday, having already both started the opening two competitive games together.

Despite failing to impress in Birmingham's opening encounter, Dembele still feels likely to start against Wycombe as Blues just don't have all that many options to play on the right-flank.

Emil Hansson and Keshi Anderson are more at home on the opposite side and another right-sided winger before deadline day wouldn't go amiss.

However, Dembele's pedigree in League One through his time with Peterborough United speaks for itself, and he will take some displacing if a new player does arrive before the August 30 deadline.

CAM: Luke Harris

Davies has two remarkably talented options in the attacking midfield role, with both Willumson and Harris fighting for that spot in-front of his double-pivot.

Willumson wasn't up to much against Reading before being substituted though in what was an underwhelming introduction to English football, and Saturday could provide a good opportunity to hand highly-rated Fulham loanee Harris his first league start for the club.

Once again, the left-sided wing role is another position which has much competition in the Blues ranks, and Emil Hansson does feel like a marquee signing.

But looking ahead to Saturday, Anderson would have every right to feel hard done by if he doesn't make Davies' starting 11.

He was Birmingham's best player after coming on against Reading and left opposing defenders with twisted blood before setting up his side's winner in the Carabao Cup victory, so it makes sense for him to start this time around at Hansson's expense.

ST: Alfie May

May simply guarantees goals at this level and opened his account against the Royals, so that coupled with the concerning shortage of striking options elsewhere in the squad, means he's a shoo-in to start at Wycombe.

Mind you, securing additional depth for May is something Birmingham must do before the window slams shut, as the ex-Charlton man and Lukas Jutkiewicz is just not enough for the first half of the season.