Birmingham City’s Left Side Powers Promotion Push

Birmingham City are no longer just talking like promotion contenders. They are starting to look like them, too. A commanding 4-0 home win over Preston North End lifted Chris Davies’ side into third place and underlined the growing belief around St Andrew’s that this team may be ready to make a real push.

The mood around Birmingham has shifted quickly. They returned to the Championship at the first time of asking and have refused to hide their ambition since, but Tuesday night offered something more important than words: proof. With just over half of the available points collected so far, the Blues have built an adequate foundation for what is shaping up to be a fierce and open play-offs race.

Millar gives Birmingham a sharper edge

The standout theme from the Preston victory was the influence of Liam Millar. The Canadian winger arrived late in the summer transfer window and has already become one of Birmingham’s most reliable attacking outlets. His close-range finish opened the scoring and set the tone for a night when the home side looked increasingly dangerous every time they moved the ball wide.

Millar has now scored two Championship goals and added three assists, numbers that place him among the league’s more productive wide players. At the time of writing, only Blackburn’s Oladapo Afolayan and West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen have more goal contributions among wingers. That is a significant benchmark for a player who only recently settled into the squad.

His impact is not just about end product. Millar stretches the pitch, attacks defenders directly and makes sure he gets into the box when opportunities open up. That movement creates space for team-mates and gives Birmingham a different kind of threat on the left side.

Why Chris Davies trusts him so quickly

Davies wasted no time integrating Millar into the starting line-up, and the decision is already paying off. Millar brings Premier League academy pedigree, experience with Basel and Hull City, and the confidence to take on responsibility in the final third.

“He gives us something that keeps defences honest,” a source close to the squad said. “He can beat people, but he also knows when to make the right run.”

That mixture of directness and discipline has made him a natural fit for Birmingham’s attacking patterns. With Patrick Roberts operating on the right, Millar provides balance on the opposite flank and helps make the team much harder to contain.

Cochrane’s influence is growing quietly

If Millar is the headline-grabber, Alex Cochrane is becoming the unsung force behind Birmingham’s left-sided surge. The 26-year-old left-back delivered one of his best performances of the season against Preston, combining strong aerial work with composed one-on-one defending and a superb assist for Jay Stansfield’s goal.

The assist itself was a moment of quality. After the referee dropped the ball at his feet on the left touchline, Cochrane instantly spotted the space behind Preston’s back line and threaded a precise pass through for Stansfield to finish. Davies called it “exceptional”, and it was the kind of delivery that turns a solid full-back display into a game-defining one.

That assist also highlighted a bigger trend. Cochrane and Millar are building into an efficient partnership, one that could become increasingly important as the season moves into a demanding winter stretch. Birmingham’s left side is starting to look like a sleeper strength — one that may not always dominate possession, but can hurt teams at key moments.

A partnership with room to grow

The numbers suggest there is still more to come. Millar and Cochrane have completed 90 minutes together in the Championship only once, which means their combination has not yet fully developed. Even so, they have already contributed directly to a growing share of Birmingham’s attacking output.

That matters because Davies is building a team that does not rely on one route to goal. Phil Neumann and Christoph Klarer can be threats from defence, August Priske offers a central reference point, and Jay Stansfield remains a lively Championship forward. But Millar and Cochrane give the Blues a more polished and persistent source of danger down the left.

The broader picture is encouraging for Birmingham. Their attack is becoming more varied, their defence is growing in personality and their confidence is rising with every big result. The 4-0 win over Preston also allowed Demarai Gray to come off the bench and score a brilliant fourth goal, a reminder of the quality in reserve that could matter later in the campaign.

Promotion talk starts to feel more realistic

There is still a long way to go, and the Championship rarely hands out rewards early. But Birmingham’s statement win, combined with the form of Millar and Cochrane on the left, suggests they are moving from hopefuls to genuine contenders.

They do not need to dominate every game to stay in the conversation. They only need to keep finding decisive moments, keep their key partnerships in rhythm and keep turning good performances into points.

Right now, that formula is working. And if Birmingham’s left side keeps stirring in the way it has in recent weeks, the rest of the division may have another promotion challenger to worry about.