Sutton United v Birmingham City: Prediction, Tips and Odds

League One leaders Birmingham City will look to extend their unbeaten run to six matches and avoid an upset when they travel to National League outfit Sutton United in the first round of the FA Cup on Sunday.

With non-league Tamworth having ousted League One outfit Huddersfield Town, Sutton will be inspired to follow in their footsteps, but they will be up against it from the outset.

The U's are in mid-table in the National League after collecting 22 points from 16 games, while Birmingham are top of League One with a three-point cushion, having earned 29 points from 12 matches.

Sutton United v Birmingham City betting tips and predictions

Birmingham City to win to nil @ 5/4

Sutton's stay in the EFL ended last season as they finished 23rd after collecting just 42 points from 46 games.

Despite failing to keep the U's in League Two, Steve Morison was retained as manager and his side have been competitive enough in their first season back in the National League.

Sutton are 12th after winning six of their opening 16 games, and they have scored 24 goals so far. Sadly, they have conceded the same amount and there is every chance they will find Sunday's match a step too far.

Morison's men come into the game on the back of a 1-0 win over Braintree Town, but they have lost three of their last five, conceding seven goals during those fixtures.

Birmingham spent heavily in the summer to practically all but guarantee promotion back to the Championship and Chris Davies' team have handled the pressure to sit top of League One.

While City are competing in the first round of the FA Cup for the first time in three decades, they will want to send a statement to the rest of the competition and they should leave the VBS Community Stadium with a win and a clean sheet to their name.

Over 2.5 goals @ 1/2

Plenty of lower-ranked teams in the FA Cup have used home advantage over the years to their advantage to try and beat some of the world's biggest clubs, as Sutton have done themselves in the past.

Whether it is a sub-standard pitch, smaller and more compact stadiums or the pressure of the competition, some memorable shocks happen each and every year in the competition.

Sutton will have been pleased to be drawn at home, but their form in front of their own fans is nothing to write home about.

The Yellows have lost their last two games at the VBS Community Stadium, conceding four goals in the process.

Morison's side have played eight games at home to date this season, but they have lost half of them, which suggests they could be exposed once again.

Birmingham have scored the third-most goals in League One with 23 efforts, and they should be able to rack up the goals.

They netted seven against a Fulham U21 side in midweek in the EFL Trophy, while they have scored 16 times on the road in eight matches in all competitions.

Considering they will face weaker opposition, Birmingham fans should be able to enjoy themselves on Sunday afternoon.

Alife May to score anytime - 5/6

Despite their success in the third tier this season, Birmingham's strikers do not sit at the top of the rankings in the race for the Golden Boot.

Stockport's Louie Barry has netted nine goals so far in 13 games, while six strikers have scored more than Birmingham's May.

The former Charlton Athletic frontman has scored five goals and also secured three assists in the first few weeks of the season, but he should be raring to go on Sunday.

May is one of Birmingham's most experienced players and Davies will lean on him for Sunday's trip to Sutton.

The 31-year-old has registered 21 shots this season in League One, with 10 of those shots hitting the target.

Against League One opposition, he averages 2.74 shots per game, so that is bound to increase against Sutton and he has the quality to get himself on the scoresheet.

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Sutton United v Birmingham City odds

Sutton United - 7/1
Draw - 19/4
Birmingham - 3/10

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.