Steve Evans has ditched the ‘Galacticos of League One’ and ‘Real Birmingham' jibes this time around to hail the Birmingham City squad Chris Davies has assembled.

Evans brings his improving Rotherham United side to St Andrew’s on Saturday to take on League One leaders Blues. Promotion favourites Blues secured a vital victory at Huddersfield Town in midweek which moved them closer to an immediate Championship return.

Before Blues’ win at Rotherham in September, Evans referenced the club’s summer spending – which exceeded £20million and saw them shatter the League One transfer record to sign Jay Stansfield – but the Scot has changed his tune this time around.

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The Rotherham boss said: “We approach it with great care, but no fear, with lots of respect. Everyone in this league, including myself, has spoken in the past about how much money the likes of Birmingham, particularly Birmingham and Wrexham, are spending but Chris Davies can only spend it wisely. And they have spent it very, very wisely.

“They’ve got a squad that will grace the Championship and do very well. I think they will win the league by 10, 12 points but it doesn’t mean that three of those points will come against us on Saturday.”

Blues have the last remaining home unbeaten record in League One after Wrexham’s surprise defeat to Stevenage in midweek. Blues are one of just four teams in England’s top four leagues with unbeaten home records – the others being Arsenal, Burnley and Sunderland.

With that in mind, Evans views this weekend’s game as a free hit for Rotherham, and that seems to be the general consensus among League One’s managers.

Evans added: “They’ve won a lot of games by the odd goal so it’s not as easy for Birmingham as some people think it is. A lot of managers have described it to me as almost a free hit when you go to St Andrew’s and that is what it feels like.

“It’s like when Manchester City were at their pomp, or Liverpool now, you’re going to Anfield and you’re a club in the bottom half of the Premier League you get a free hit because only some of your staff, some of your supporters and players think they can get something and we will be of that ilk on Saturday.”