Birmingham City have enjoyed a good start to the season and currently sit seventh in the Sky Bet Championship table, much to the delight of their manager Gary Rowett.

The Blues most recent victory came on Tuesday night against bottom of the table Rotherham United. Birmingham won 4-2 but Rowett will not be happy to have conceded two goals to a team who are so poor on the road.

Although they lost at Burton Albion yesterday, Birmingham have only lost two of their last nine matches, a run which has taken them to within touching distance of the top six, something which definitely isn’t out of reach for Birmingham.

There is no doubt that the play-offs will be the aim for Rowett this year. They so nearly achieved it last year but they tailed off towards the end of the season after a promising start. This is something Rowett will want to avoid a repeat of.

Here, FootballLeagueWorld writer Chris Wilson identifies THREE Birmingham players who are currently playing out of their skin...

Lukas Jutkiewicz

The on-loan Burnley striker has been on fire of late, scoring four goals in the last seven games.

Jutkiewicz has been reborn at Birmingham and his goal-scoring prowess could be a deciding factor in whether they go up or not.

Before his goal against Sheffield Wednesday, he hadn’t scored a competitive goal for over two years.

The 6’1” striker is good in the air and can hold the ball up, bringing others into play.

Birmingham are believed to have the option to buy Jutkiewicz in January, when his loan expires and, if they can secure his signature permanently, Birmingham could be serious contenders for promotion.

Ryan Shotton

Shotton has been somewhat of a journeyman in recent years, but now seems to have found a home at Birmingham and he is beginning to flourish under the guidance of Rowett.

Shotton has been a rock at the back for Birmingham lately, and his partnership with Michael Morrison is beginning to show signs that they understand each other’s game.

He is also very comfortable on the ball, something that is key for the modern-day centre half.

Shotton is a threat at set pieces, his height causes havoc in the penalty area, and he is also great to have when defending set pieces. He also possesses a huge throw which could prove a weapon that Birmingham score goals from.

Jacques Maghoma

 

The tricky wide man has been in good form recently and bagged himself a goal on Tuesday night.

Maghoma has come into his own recently, starting games regularly has really helped him to start playing his best football. He has the ability to get past his full back at will, something not many players in the Championship have.

He has quality in the final third too, whether it be going for goal, or supplying a cross for the strikers in the box.

The Congolese international was a product of the Tottenham youth system but he failed to make a first team appearance for them.

If Maghoma can stay fit and continue his good run of form, he could be a key figure in Birmingham’s push for promotion.

Birmingham fans... do you agree? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!