Boss happy Phil back as Blues defy the odds

Commanding goalkeeper James Beadle deals with another Preston attack. Below, Phil Neumann heads Blues’ winner

- By ALEX DICKEN

BIRMINGHAM City ended their two-month wait for an away victory by ruining Preston North End's unbeaten home record on Tuesday night.

The odds were stacked against out-of-form Blues at Deepdale but a set piece goal from Phil Neumann and a backs-to-the-wall defensive effort did the job. Here are our talking points from Deepdale.

A victory that Blues needed

For a large part of Tuesday night at Deepdale, Blues were the polar opposite to how they usually look under Chris Davies - and that was exactly what was needed to halt their bad run of results.

They finally scored a set-piece goal, prompting a humorous chant from the away end - ‘how s*** must you be, we've scored a set piece’ - and defended for their lives in the second half.

Blues went five at the back for the final 10 minutes, possibly seven if you include defensively-minded wingers Alfons Sampsted and Demarai Gray, and were simply unwilling to succumb to Preston’s pressure.

The Lilywhites’ aerial bombardment was dealt with by Neumann, Christoph Klarer and the commanding James Beadle on a night where Blues proved they can win ugly. After a few weeks in which Davies has been scrutinised more than ever before, all seemed well at quarter to ten when the manager was being serenaded by a packed away end that included Blues chairman Tom Wagner.

Neumann is the answer