MX23RW : Thursday, February 18 05:11:34| >> :120:24681:24681:

Birmingham manager Aitor Karanka dismisses relegation talk

Birmingham manager Aitor Karanka dismisses relegation talk
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The visitors lie within three points of the drop zone following a goalless stalemate.

Birmingham manager Aitor Karanka has insisted he is not worried about relegation despite his team falling to within three points of the Championship's bottom three as a result of their 0-0 draw at Wycombe.

The Blues have now won just one of their last 10 games and, thanks to Nottingham Forest's win against Coventry, are now fourth from bottom in the table.

Sheffield Wednesday's win at Bournemouth also drew them closer to danger, following a night where Birmingham were left frustrated by Ryan Allsop's heroics in goal for the hosts.

Karanka said: "When I came here, I knew it was going to be a tough season. It's impossible to think about being in a higher position when the team was going in the way it was going last year.

"We brought in players without spending money, and in the market we bought players without spending the money that other teams had.

"We're not complaining, it's just to show the reality for everybody.

"We knew it was going to be difficult and it's been difficult, so we'll just keep going.

"It's a shame because we played a good game, we had a lot of chances and from our chances their keeper was super and we didn't score.

"It's difficult to accept, once again, when we're playing like we did today and we are not winning games, but it is time to keep a strong mentality, to keep going because once again we have shown we are creating chances."

Wycombe came closest to scoring in the first half when Birmingham goalkeeper Neil Etheridge did superbly to keep out Uche Ikpeazu's deflected effort.

Allsop then shone after the break, with exceptional saves from Mikel San Jose and Maxime Colin, before Birmingham's Marc Roberts was sent off late on for a cynical lunge on Fred Onyedinma.

Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth said: "It wouldn't have looked out of place in League Two – no disrespect to League Two, but there was very limited moments of quality out there.

"I think what was Premier League was probably the two goalkeepers – I think both made what were match-saving saves.

"Ryan Allsop has made a couple and Neil Etheridge had one in the first half that was deflected and he was going the wrong way to start with, that was an unbelievable save.

"I think if anyone comes out with credit, it's the goalkeepers and that's usually the story of a 0-0.

"I'm pleased after Saturday [when Wycombe lost 7-2 at Brentford] because we progressed a great deal and that was important.

"Either team nicking it would have been unjust – they probably had the share of the chances over us, but I'm pleased that we've battled well against a very strong Birmingham side."

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How you voted: Wycombe vs Birmingham

Wycombe Wanderers
38.6%
Draw
36.4%
Birmingham City
25.0%
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Norwich CityNorwich30187541241761
2Brentford30169556322457
3Swansea CitySwansea28168436152156
4Watford30159638201854
5Reading30156944341051
6Bournemouth301310744281649
7Cardiff CityCardiff30127114233943
8Middlesbrough30127113431343
9Stoke CityStoke30101283433142
10Barnsley29126113335-242
11Millwall3091473027341
12Blackburn RoversBlackburn291161243331039
13Preston North EndPreston30123153438-439
14Bristol City30123152941-1239
15Luton TownLuton29107122331-837
16Queens Park RangersQPR2899102833-536
17Derby CountyDerby2997132130-934
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3089132531-633
19Huddersfield TownHuddersfield3096153444-1033
20Coventry CityCoventry30710132742-1531
21Rotherham UnitedRotherham2885153339-629
22Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds2997132131-1028
23Birmingham CityBirmingham30610142137-1628
24Wycombe WanderersWycombe2947182251-2919

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