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Aitor Karanka not interested in looking at Championship table

Karanka not interested in looking at Championship table
© Reuters
Blues are one point from safety.

Birmingham boss Aitor Karanka is refusing to look at the Championship table after his side remained second bottom following a 2-0 defeat to Millwall.

Blues gifted Jed Wallace the opener after two minutes and failed to threaten the Millwall goal throughout until Ben Thompson's close-range effort 15 minutes from time sealed a third consecutive win for the Lions.

Karanka's side, one point from safety, now face a crunch match against fellow strugglers Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday before a visit from leaders Norwich next week.

"I don't need to look at the table because it is just a reflection of your job on the pitch," said the Spaniard. "Why am I going to look at the table if we are not winning games.

"We have to look at ourselves, our work and to keep believing because we have been really good this season. The only way I know is to keep working – to go to the training ground tomorrow and start preparing for the next game.

"One little mistake has cost us a lot tonight because of the position we are in at the moment, to concede a goal like that after two minutes is difficult to take.

"In a normal situation after that it would look like a team was going to go down but we were really good and we were in the game but we didn't defend well.

"Last week I said I wasn't happy with the performance but today I can't say anything bad because the players were fighting until the final whistle."

Millwall manager Gary Rowett was disappointed with his team's display despite picking up maximum points.

The Lions are now unbeaten in their last seven league games and moved into the top half of the table.

"I thought it was a poor performance in certain ways for most of the game," said Rowett.

"I think a marker was laid down in the first 30 seconds when the Birmingham central defender smashed it 100 yards back to us and it didn't get much better than that.

"I thought that when we got into the final third, Birmingham would be nervous. The goal comes from the defender under-hitting a backpass, Jed gambles and that is the sort of thing that happens to you when you're down there and haven't won many games.

"So it was a good start for us but I thought after that Birmingham were better than us. We didn't pass the ball with any fluidity and that meant we couldn't get out and attack like we wanted to.

"We've won four and drawn three now against some excellent sides, Norwich City and Watford included, and the players have shown what they are all about with a really good run of results."

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How you voted: Millwall vs Birmingham

Millwall
70.0%
Draw
21.1%
Birmingham City
8.9%
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Brentford manager Thomas Frank pictured on February 10, 2021
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Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Norwich CityNorwich33217547252270
2Brentford33189661352663
3Watford33179743241960
4Swansea CitySwansea31178639221759
5Reading33166114537854
6Bournemouth331410947321552
7Barnsley32156113836251
8Cardiff CityCardiff331481149351450
9Middlesbrough33138123835347
10Stoke CityStoke331112103837145
11Bristol City33143163544-945
12Millwall3391683230243
13Preston North EndPreston33134163742-543
14Luton TownLuton32118132737-1041
15Blackburn RoversBlackburn32117144638840
16Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest331010132832-440
17Queens Park RangersQPR311010113136-540
18Derby CountyDerby32108142533-838
19Huddersfield TownHuddersfield33106173850-1236
20Coventry CityCoventry33811143044-1435
21Birmingham CityBirmingham33810152541-1634
22Rotherham UnitedRotherham3185183342-929
23Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds3297162338-1528
24Wycombe WanderersWycombe3258192353-3023

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