Birmingham City

Birmingham City V Stoke City

Saturday, 12th February – 15:00 (GMT)
Venue: St Andrews

If the neutrals are after a thriller this weekend to rival those which encapsulated what the Premiership is all about seven days ago, I would steer well clear of St Andrews as the league’s two most unimaginative teams clash in Birmingham on Saturday in what has ‘dull’ and ‘stalemate’ written all over it.

No team in the top-flight has carved out fewer goalscoring opportunities this season than Alex McLeish’s Birmingham, who have Stoke directly above them in this most glamorous of charts. Furthermore, after careful observation and painstaking number crunching, no venue in the Premier League has seen fewer goals than St Andrews this season, edging out Fulham’s Craven Cottage and Blackburn’s Ewood Park for the unwanted honour of being the dullest ground in the English top-flight as far as goals-per-game goes. At this rate, especially if the Blues do go down, fans will be demanding a refund at the end of the season as St Andrews certainly doesn’t boast value for money.

So, anyone fancy the draw? The only previous meeting at St Andrews in the Premiership came last season when the pair played out a not-so-enthralling 0-0 draw. Even the encounters at the Brittania have been close-run-things – 2009/2010: Stoke 0-1 Birmingham; 2010/2011: Stoke 3-2 Birmingham – so it would appear the writing is well and truly on the wall as another evenly fought contest looms large.

Match Odds:

Birmingham City – 2.50 Boylesports (General)
Draw – 3.30 VictorChandler
Stoke City – 3.00 Coral

Birmingham City

The Premiership is establishing a nasty reputation when it comes to the dismissal of managers, and reports suggest Birmingham’s Alex McLeish isn’t too far off being the next manager to see his managerial tenure with a club he’s worked wonders with brought to an abrupt end. Fortunately for him, his team have come good as soon as the rumour mill began to churn – registering four points from their last two league games as well as qualifying for the Carling Cup final – his players doing their absolute all for his cause at a time when one more horrific result could spell the end.

Hopefully these rumours circling aren’t true, as while we cannot stand watching Birmingham under Alex McLeish’s watch, we do admire how he has gone about making a previously lightweight Blues side into one of the most difficult sides to overcome, especially when playing on home turf. Only Arsenal and Everton have won at their St Andrews stadium all term, while draws with Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur only emphasise our points. Oh, and they did beat Chelsea 1-0 back in November.

Before last weekend’s fixtures came to a dramatic conclusion, Birmingham were floundering in the relegation zone. A dogged, workmanlike display at Upton Park last Sunday earned them a hard-fought 1-0 win courtesy of Nikola Zigic’s fourth league goals of the season. The three points may prove invaluable in the long-run, but even in the short term it has given the Blues a more healthy complexion. Sitting in 16th, albeit just a point above the bottom three, is still far better for morale than occupying a relegation berth and on Saturday, when McLeish welcomes Tony Pulis and his hard working Stoke side to St Andrews, Birmingham have the opportunity to register back-to-back victories in the Premier League for the first time in eleven months, although, more importantly, put even more breathing space between them and the drop.

Ben Foster has been a revelation in goal for Birmingham this season, with the Blues boasting a more tidier defence than any of their relegation counterparts. However, the former Manchester United shot-stopper’s participation at the weekend remains shrouded in doubts after he withdrew from the England squad during the week with injury. McLeish is, however, confident Foster will be fit in time for Saturday, when he will be aiming to keep his eighth clean sheet of the campaign. Alex Hleb was fit enough to play for Belarus on Wednesday so should be available for Stoke, however the rock-solid Scott Dann has been ruled out for the rest of the season after tearing his hamstring.

Stoke City

Tony Pulis, ever the pragmatist, is urging both his own team and the fans to air on the side of caution and to remain professional until the very end of the season if the club are to set new personal bests. The Potters have only spent two season in the Premiership but, after finishing both campaigns well clear of the bottom three, have become an established top-flight club in the eyes of most. We still have our doubts although, after another remarkable league campaign which recently saw Stoke become only the seventh side this season to reach double figures in the wins column, even we freely admit that Pulis has once again done a sterling job and you get the feeling now that only a couple more points are needed in order to pop open the bubbly and celebrate another successful battle with relegation; with Pulis speculating that another seven points should seal the deal.

Even though the club are on course to comfortably avoid the drop for a third successive season, Tony Pulis won’t set his sights on bettering Stoke’s previous best finish of 11th during the 2009/2010 term until everything is finalised. However, the club are well on course to clinch a top-ten finish for the very first time although Pulis is wary that the fans are beginning to demand more than is humanely possible from a side which continues to punch above its weight, though mixing it with the finest in the country has almost become second-nature to those still enthusiastic Potters.

Form-wise, Stoke are a mixed bag. The middle of November was the last occasion when Stoke strung a couple of victories together, with league wins not exactly being at a premium ever since but consistency certainly hasn’t been their forte of late. For instance, last weekend’s comeback victory at home over Sunderland helped end a two-match losing sequence yet the club are already gearing up for the possibility of a second successive Quarter-Final appearance in the FA Cup after Stoke drew League One’s Brighton in the Fifth Round.

The Brittania Stadium has a certain aurora to it which makes playing at home a powerful advantage. Take the Potters outside of the comfort zone, though, and you have a team nowhere near as potent (W3 D1 L8). And on Saturday, Tony Pulis will go about plotting Birmingham’s downfall as Stoke go in search of their first away point of 2011, after losing all three of their away encounters since the turn of the year: Manchester United 2-1 Stoke City; Fulham 2-0 Stoke City & Liverpool 2-0 Stoke City.

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Recent Form (Last 5)

Birmingham City

Premiership: West Ham 0-1 Birmingham City
Premiership: Birmingham City 2-2 Manchester City
FA Cup: Birmingham City 3-2 Coventry City
Carling Cup: Birmingham City 3-1 West Ham
Premiership: Manchester United 5-0 Birmingham City

Stoke City

Premiership: Stoke City 3-2 Sunderland
Premiership: Liverpool 2-0 Stoke City
FA Cup: Wolves 0-1 Stoke City
Premiership: Fulham 2-1 Stoke City
FA Cup: Cardiff City 0-2 Stoke City

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2010/2011 Premiership Statistics

Birmingham City

League Position: 16th
Win-Draw-Lose: 5-12-7 (Home: 3-7-2)
Goal Difference: 24-33 (Home: 12-13)
Form: WDLDW (Home: DDLDD)
Top Scorer: Craig Gardner (5)

Stoke City

League Position: 9th
Win-Draw-Lose: 10-3-12 (Away: 3-1-8)
Goal Difference: 31-32 (Away: 12-18)
Form: LWLLW (Away: DWLLL)
Top Scorer: Robert Huth (6)

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Head-to-Head (Premiership: Last 5 Seasons)

2010/2011: Stoke City 3-2 Birmingham City

2009/2010: Stoke City 0-1 Birmingham City
2009/2010: Birmingham City 0-0 Stoke City

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Value Bet: Under 1.5 Goals @ 3.00 Bet365

Quite simply, Birmingham do not do goals. Neither does St Andrews for that matter, while Stoke aren’t a great deal better at this scoring lark either. Stoke’s 12 away goals is right up their with the very worst, while no team has mustered fewer goals at home this season than Birmingham City. It would be typical for this game to end 3-3, but that seems highly unlikely. Instead, I’d be more inclinded to stick a few quid on a dour 0-0 draw.

If the form book is right, this match will end without any goals. BlueSquare go 9/1 (10.00) on such a scenario, which seems mighty generous. Too good to be true I suppose.

West Ham United V Birmingham City

Sunday, 6th February – 13:30 (GMT)
Venue: Upton Park
TV coverage: Sky Sports HD1

West Ham United

Few managers have had more on their plate this season than Avram Grant, the Israeli having to put up with constant speculation in the media surrounding his future as West Ham manager as his was continually undermined by the club’s board. David Gold and David Sullivan, the co-owners of West Ham United FC, did finally hand the Israeli the vote of confidence he was in desperate need of and with the circus now having moved on, the club are beginning to reap instant benefits.

A combination of Grant and the players finally knowing where they stand along with a few fresh faces has revitalised the West Ham ranks, not least kick-started a mid-season revival which could turn out to be the turning point in their season. Among those who were brought in at the end of January was Robbie Keane, one of the Premier League’s greatest ever goal-getters, and the Republic of Ireland forward didn’t take long to make his presence felt. Keane scored West Ham’s second as the Hammers secured only their second away win of the season at Blackpool, Victor Obinna also popping up with a brace as Grant celebrated a 3-1 victory which lift his team off the bottom of the league. 

Unfortunately, despite how well they performed at Bloomfield Road against a Blackpool side who weren’t entirely at the races, the win wasn’t enough to lift the Hammers out of the relegation zone. A second successive win, however, would certainly do the trick and who better to do so against than Birmingham City, the team which agonisingly beat West Ham 4-3 on aggregate in the Semi-Final of the Carling Cup? Because of this very notion, they’ll be that extra bit of fire in their bellies, especially as victory over the Blues would relegate the Midlanders into the bottom three.

Avram Grant firmly believes that his team has turned a corner after collecting four points from their last two league games, and although his comments may seem a little hasty and careless, we believe the glum Israeli maybe on to something. We have to admit, we still aren’t overly keen on their defence, which is the worst in the entire Premier League, however Grant now has a potent forward-line which does have goals in it. Robbie Keane is a high-class player despite his age, Frederic Piquionne has been their only really regular source of goals this season with six to his name, while only last season Carlton Cole was attracting plenty of interest from some big clubs. But Victor Obinna really has come into his own in recent weeks, his two-goal haul on Wednesday – His second an absolute stunner – was his fifth in two games following his hat-trick last weekend in the FA Cup.

Within the blink of an eye, West Ham suddenly seem a different proposition. A team playing with far more confidence but with a great deal more belief to go with it. They firmly believe they can now dig themselves out of trouble, and I’m beginning to think so too. Of course, it is early days and there are still a number of hurdles that will trouble them, but there have been encouraging signs of late that the Hammers are ready to blast their way out of trouble.

Birmingham City

Alex McLeish, who is an under-fire Birmingham manager, may feel he holds all the aces after it was he who guided his team to the final of the Carling Cup at the expense of their relegation rivals West Ham. Ironically, though, it was the Scot who went into the deciding second leg under intense pressure following reports that the Birmingham board were willing to offload the former Scotland manager had he not delivered a dream date with Wembley. Whether those reports, or rumours, were true remains to be seen, however it doesn’t take a genius to come to the conclusion that Alex McLeish is a manager under immense pressure to bring home the bacon in the Premier League, a feat he has achieved just four times all season and just once in his last nine attempts.

As wins have come at a premium, McLeish’s stock has fallen dramatically. The 52-year old performed miracles last season when guiding the Midlands outfit to a top-ten finish, but it would appear the board aren’t interested in what the current Birmingham chief achieved last term but only his performance as manager in the present term, which, in fairness, hasn’t been great. The Scot has overseen a dire league campaign which has seen the Blues registered a meagre 24 points from a possible 69; their tally of four victories is the joint-lowest in the top-flight while only Wigan has scored fewer goals although no team has created fewer chances than a Birmingham side who have struggled to reach the heights they sailed last season.

It is unlikely that McLeish will be sacked before February 27th, the date of the Carling Cup final, though his position will become untenable should his team continue along their winless path. Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City at St Andrews was actually a creditable result, especially as in their last league encounter with a Manchester club they were hammered 5-0, losing at Old Trafford to Manchester United two weeks ago. The Blues are also through to the Fifth Round of the FA Cup as well, but it’s survival in the Premier League which is of utmost concern and at this moment in time, Alex McLeish’s side aren’t picking up sufficient points, nor shaping as though a win is just around the corner, to suggest they are going to fend off the relegation zone for too much longer. In the meantime, goal difference is the difference between Birmingham City occupying safe ground of a relegation spot – defeat at Upton Park on Sunday would result in another unpleasant spell inside the bottom three.

The Birmingham manager’s cause isn’t helped by a number of unavailable players, Obafemi Martins being one of those. The on-loan Nigerian still awaits his Visa and is highly unlikely to receive one before Sunday, while Barry Ferguson, Cameron Jerome and Roger Johnson are all doubts. Curtis Davies may start his first match for the Blues since joining from Aston Villa.

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Recent Form (Last 5)

West Ham United

Premiership: Blackpool 1-3 West Ham United
FA Cup: West Ham United 3-2 Nottingham Forest
Carling Cup: Birmingham City 3-1 West Ham United
Premiership: Everton 2-2 West Ham United
Premiership: West Ham United 0-3 Arsenal

Birmingham City

Premiership: Birmingham City 2-2 West Ham United
FA Cup: Birmingham City 3-2 Coventry City
Carling Cup: Birmingham City 3-1 West Ham United
Premiership: Manchester United 5-0 Birmingham City
Premiership: Birmingham City 1-1 Aston Villa

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2010/2011 Premiership Statistics

West Ham United

League Position: 18th
Win-Draw-Lose: 5-9-11 (Home: 3-4-5)
Goal Difference: 27-44 (Home: 14-19)
Top Scorer: Frederic Piquionne (6)
Form: WLLDW (Home: WLDWL)

Birmingham City

League Position: 17th
Win-Draw-Lose: 4-12-7 (Away: 1-5-5)
Goal Difference: 23-33 (Away: 11-20)
Top Scorer: Craig Gardner (5)
Form: LWDLD (Away: DDLWL)

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Head-to-Head (Last 5 Seasons):

2010/2011: Birmingham City 2-2 West Ham United

2009/2010: West Ham United 2-0 Birmingham City
2009/2010: Birmingham City 1-0 West Ham United

2007/2008: West Ham United 1-1 Birmingham City
2007/2008: Birmingham City 0-1 West Ham United

2005/2006: West Ham United 3-0 Birmingham City
2005/2006: Birmingham City 1-2 West Ham United

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Match Prediction: West Ham United to WIN – 2.10 WilliamHill

I do like West Ham’s chances on Sunday, in what is a definite relegation six-pointer, however their odds aren’t great and while I will side with Avram Grant’s improving Hammers, I wouldn’t write off Birmingham’s chances of grounding out a result at Upton Park.

The extra fire-power at West Ham will be a massive lure for punters, as it is for me. There is no an abundance of goals in this Hammers side, which is in stark contrast to the one at the start of the season, and with their tails wagging following their impressive 3-1 victory away at Blackpool on Wednesday, are difficult to overlook.

Defensively, I would still rate Birmingham as one of the best in the Premier League, so they are certainly capable of frustrating the hosts. They too recorded a morale boosting result in midweek, holding Man City to a 2-2 draw at St Andrews. Their form away from home is, however, alarming having won just once on their travels all season. The fact they were also leathered 5-0 by Manchester United in their most recent away outing only adds to the growing list of worrying negatives for Birmingham, who are a definite no-go at the present time, in my opinion.

Value Bet: Victor Obinna to Score – 3.60 Unibet

After five goals in his last two appearances, including a hat-trick in the FA Cup, Victor Obinna is playing like a player reborn. Full of confidence, no longer afraid to have a pop from distance, the Nigerian is worth a dabble in the scorer markets.

Match Odds:

West Ham United – 2.10 WilliamHill
Draw – 3.50 Bet365
Birmingham City – 4.00 StanJames

Birmingham City V Manchester City

Tuesday, 1st February – 19:45 (GMT)
Venue: St Andrews

Birmingham City

As Birmingham City prepare for their third game in seven days, all the fans can think about is February 27th – the day Birmingham do battle with Arsenal for the Carling Cup. However, in the meantime, it’s imperative the team put their date with Wembley to the back of their minds as on Wednesday, when they entertain high-flying Manchester City at St Andrews, after all the dust has settled from what has been an unforgettable week for the club, reality will kick in that their status as a top-flight club is well and truly under threat.

It isn’t often Birmingham qualify for a final, so it’s understandable that the fans are getting a little too excited about the prospect of silverware being brought home to St Andrews. The players, though, need to keep their feet on the ground as locking in their Premiership status is far more important than the League Cup – a competition few genuinely give the time of day. Just a point separates Birmingham from another uncomfortable stint inside the bottom three, so the immediate focus is on securing all three points on Wednesday despite the difficulty of the task ahead of them.

Under current manager Alex McLeish, Birmingham are often described as resilient, a determined group of players who always work tirelessly for the cause. They’ll need those exact qualities to shine on Wednesday if they’re to take anything from their home meeting with Manchester City. A dogged performance like the one they produced in the reverse encounter wouldn’t go a miss either, and if they are just as organised and industrious as they were at Eastlands earlier in the season when earning a hard-fought point courtesy of a 0-0 draw, then McLeish’s men have every chance of producing one of the shocks of the week providing they can maintain their impressive form in front of goal which has seen them score five goals in their previous two games, not of which were in the Premier League.

Wednesday will also be the first time Birmingham contend with a league fixture since their horror showing at Old Trafford a little over a week ago, when the Blues were hammered 5-0 by league leaders Manchester United in what was undoubtedly the poorest display we’ve seen from Alex McLeish’s normally rock-solid and resolute Birmingham team since the beginning of the 2009/2010 season. Fortunately, though, the team didn’t dwell on that result for too long and their response has been magnificent, even if it has come with a few bumps and scrapes. Back-to-back wins in the FA Cup and Carling Cup have left the team on cloud nine, while the signings of Curtis Davies and Obafemi Martins should also give the squad an added lift.

Manchester City

A little uncharacteristic maybe, but Man City were barely mentioned on transfer deadline day as the days of ‘kamikaze spending’, as Sir Alex Ferguson once put it, now seem a thing of the past at Eastlands. Instead, City chief Roberto Mancini has shown his faith in his current crop, a group which no longer includes the ridiculously over-paid Emmanuel Adebayor, Roque Santa Cruz and Wayne Bridge; and with some of the dead-weight passed off and the arrival of Edin Dzeko providing further impotence to an already formidable forward set-up, Manchester City are beginning to fit the bill as they strive for to achieve their not-so long-term goal of UEFA Champions League football.

While it would seem the club are finally getting their act together as the prospect of Champions League football looms large – the club need to comply with UEFA Financial Fair Play rules if they’re to remain a long-term competitor at Europe’s top table – the team need to start getting their act together if they’re to seal their end of the deal. Consistency has been a character which still doesn’t ring true whenever City are mentioned, which is why the thought of top-tier European football is no formality, despite their healthy position in the table.

The Citizens find themselves third in the Barclay’s Premier League after 24 matches, a whole seven points clear of fifth-placed Spurs, so a top-four finish would almost appear straightforward. But if they continue to make heavy weather of the simplest of tasks, as they’ve been doing of late, then their healthy cushion could soon whittle down to the bare bones and before long City have a real fight on their hands with Tottenham Hotspur, as they did last season, and we all know who won that tasty encounter. And it’s fixtures just like Wednesday’s trip to Birmingham City, a difficult assignment on paper no doubt but one Mancini and his team need to pass with flying colours if they are to convince themselves more than anyone else that they are capable of achieving their goal, as the Eastlands outfit have come unstuck in too many similar scenarios this season.

Silverware is also on the agenda for the club, though they seem content on driving all the punters away from backing such a scenario. Two successive ties with lower league opposition have seen City struggle to progress in the FA Cup, a competition certainly worth winning and would at least be a start as the club go in search of global domination. City needed a replay to see off Leicester City in the Third Round, and they’ll need to repeat the trick if they’re to make an appearance in the Fifth Round as they were held by League One’s Notts County at the weekend. Couple their embarrassing outings with the aforementioned sides with their 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa in their last league outing, and I suppose with their near-capitulation at home to Wolves when leading 4-1 at Eastlands only to win 4-3, and doubts may well have started to set in, especially in defence as Joe Hart and his defence have now gone five games without keeping a clean sheet.

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Last 5 Results

Birmingham City

FA Cup: Birmingham City 3-2 Coventry City
Carling Cup: Birmingham City 3-1 West Ham United (after Extra-Time)
Premiership: Manchester United 5-0 Birmingham City
Premiership: Birmingham City 1-1 Aston Villa
Carling Cup: West Ham United 2-1 Birmingham City

Manchester City

FA Cup: Notts County 1-1 Manchester City
Premiership: Aston Villa 1-0 Manchester City
FA Cup: Manchester City 4-2 Leicester City
Premiership: Manchester City 4-3 Wolves
FA Cup: Leicester City 2-2 Manchester City

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2010/2011 Premiership Statistics

Birmingham City

League Position: 17th
Win-Draw-Lose: 4-11-7 (Home: 3-6-2)
Goal Difference: 21-31 (Home: 10-11)
Leading Goalscorer: Craig Gardner (4)
Form: DLWDL (Home: WDDLD)

Manchester City

League Position: 3rd
Win-Draw-Lose: 13-6-5 (Away: 6-3-3)
Goal Difference: 37-20 (Away: 19-10)
Leading Goalscorer: Carlos Tevez (14)
Form: WWDWL (Away: DWWDL)

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Head-to-Head (Last 5 Seasons):

2010/2011: Manchester City 0-0 Birmingham City

2009/2010: Manchester City 5-1 Birmingham City
2009/2010: Birmingham City 0-0 Manchester City

2007/2008: Birmingham City 3-1 Manchester City
2007/2008: Manchester City 1-0 Birmingham City

2005/2006: Manchester City 4-1 Birmingham City
2005/2006: Birmingham City 1-2 Manchester City

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Pointers

Birmingham City

- The Blues are seeking their third successive victory in all competitions, however they are without a win in their last two league games.

- Birmingham have won just one of their last eight Premiership fixtures, and just two of their last fourteen.

- Have lost just one of their last seven matches in the Premier League, a run which includes a number of outstanding results: Beating Chelsea 1-0, Drawing 1-1 with both Tottenham and Man Utd.

- Have drawn the most amount of games at home in the league this season along with Wigan Athletic (6), while their last three home draws have all finished 1-1.

- No team in the top-flight has scored fewer goals at home this term than Birmingham City (10).

- Birmingham have won only one of the previous eight league contests with City, their last back in 2008 (3-1), before Sheikh Mansour and his millions revamped the Citizens.

- Alex McLeish’s side have conjured just one goal in their last three meetings with Man City, also failing to score in three of their last five contests.

Manchester City

- Are without a win in their last two games after a 1-1 draw with Notts County in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup at the weekend on top of losing 1-0 away to Aston Villa in the league ten days ago.

- City’s 1-0 loss away at Aston Villa in their last league fixture ended a run of seven games without defeat in all competitions for Roberto Mancini’s men.

- Haven’t won any of their previous four away matches, a disconcerting run of results which includes draws with lower league opposition in the FA Cup.

- Carlos Tevez accounts for just over a third of City’s away league goals (7/19).

- The Citizens have lost just one of their last eight meetings with Birmingham City in the league, however, in six trips to St Andrews during the Premier League era, Manchester City have won only twice.

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Team News

Birmingham City – Alex McLeish is still without his defensive rock, Scott Dann, while Roger Johnson is now also a doubt after the centre-half picked up a calf injury during his side’s comeback victory over Coventry City in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup on Saturday. Cameron Jerome is back in the fray following injury, while David Bentley will continue on the right-hand-side of midfield following his loan move to St Andrews from Tottenham. Martin Jiranek could deputise at centre-half for the injured Dann, although Curtis Davies could also make his debut at centre-half. Obafemi Martins may need a few training sessions before he’s consider for first-team action following his loan move from Russian side Rubin Kazan.

Manchester City – Roberto Mancini only has a couple of absentee’s, with Micah Richards joining Adam Johnson and Mario Balotelli on the sidelines. Pablo Zabaleta should get the nod over Jerome Boateng to deputise at right-back. After missing the Fourth Round clash with Notts County at the weekend, Vincent Kompany, Nigel De Jong and Carlos Tevez are among those expected to be drafted straight back into the starting XI, as should David Silva who played the remaining 30 minutes.

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Match Odds:

Birmingham City – 4.60 VictorChandler
Draw – 3.60 StanJames
Manchester City – 1.91 PaddyPower

Birmingham City V West Ham United

Wednesday, 26th January – 19:45 (GMT)
Venue: St Andrews
TV Coverage: Sky Sports HD1

Birmingham City

On one hand, Birmingham manager Alex McLeish will be delighted for his team to get away from all the doom and gloom of a disappointing league campaign which sees the Blues struggling near the foot of the table and very much in the midst of a fight for survival. Then again, well aware that he doesn’t boast the strongest of squads when it comes to strength in depth, the Scot would have ideally liked to have handed some of his key figures some much needed respite following what has been a typically arduous festive period, however their hectic schedule means that isn’t a viable option.

After their Carling Cup Semi-Final second leg with West Ham on Wednesday, Birmingham entertain Coventry City in the fourth-round of the FA Cup in what will be their third game in a week – their most recent a morale-bashing 5-0 defeat away at Manchester United in the league. If it hasn’t already, fatigue will begin to set in and you get the feeling Alex McLeish will need to make sacrifices over the forthcoming weeks, and by that I mean he may need to make wholesale changes in either Wednesday’s Carling Cup encounter or their weekend tie with Coventry in order to preserve the conditioning and availability of influential players. I would hazard a guess at the FA Cup slipping down the club’s list of priorities, as the Blues are potentially just 90 minutes away from booking their place in their first major final since losing out to Liverpool in the 2000/2001 Worthington Cup, now named the Carling Cup.

Unfortunately, despite doing some digging, we aren’t entirely sure whether McLeish will name his strongest possible eleven on Wednesday. However, the Blues chief may have had his hand forced following comments from club chairman Peter Pannu regarding how disappointing McLeish’s signings have been during his, what we would define as successful tenure as manager. A point to prove perhaps for the former Rangers and Scotland boss? An appearance at Wembley in the final of the Carling Cup would certainly go some way to silencing his critics.

Speaking of McLeish’s signings, David Bentley is ineligible after featuring for his parent club, Tottenham Hotspur, in the earlier rounds. Defensive stalwart Scott Dann is the only other notable absentee for Birmingham, though the Blues do at least have home comforts to fall back on. The St Andrews faithful has seen their team lose just two of their previous 32 competitive matches on home soil, as well as four wins on the spin in the Carling Cup this season over Rochdale (3-2), MK Dons (3-1), Brentford (1-1P) and arch-rivals Aston Villa (2-1), though one of those was via a penalty shoot-out.

West Ham United

Love him or loath him, Avram Grant has an almost unrivaled record when it comes to leading clubs to finals. The Israeli guided Chelsea to the 2007/2008 UEFA Champions League final in Moscow, while two years later he took already relegated Portsmouth to the 2009/2010 FA Cup final against all the odds – However, the 55-year old was unsuccessful on both occasions and still awaits his first piece of silverware in English football.

With speculation over his future at the club having hit fever point in recent weeks, this may be Grant’s last opportunity to advertise his credentials as a manager, not least to continue his trend of having guided every club he has managed in English football to a final. Fortunately for him his Hammers side are well placed to maintain the trend, goals from Mark Noble and Carlton Cole at Upton Park two weeks ago handing West Ham a 2-1 aggregate lead meaning a first final in over twenty years beckons for the club provided Avram Grant’s men avoid defeat at St Andrews, a ground they’ve failed to win at on their two previous visits.

While the aggregate score would suggest West Ham are the favourites to book a Wembley date with Arsenal on February 27th, their away record this season would imply that Grant has a mammoth task on his hands. In the Premier League, West Ham have only won one of twelve away matches this season – Fulham 1-3 West Ham, losing half of those, and have an away goal difference in the league of -14 (10-24). However, the Hammers do at least arrive at St Andrews with some away reassurances having lost just one of their last four away encounters, though they haven’t kept a clean sheet away from home all season, whatever the competition.

Well aware that each game could be his last should the result not be to the board’s satisfaction, Avram Grant will have no qualms in naming the strongest team possible at St Andrews, a game the Hammers only need to avoid defeat in to qualify for the final. He will, though, have to put together a starting XI which doesn’t contain the suspended Victor Obinna or Frederic Piquionne, while Carlton Cole is nursing a knee injury and may not recover in time. On the plus side, Scott Parker will return to add some steel to a midfield which simply must hold its own in the center of the park if the Hammers are to avoid being overrun in an area of the pitch where games are so often won and lost.

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Pointers

Birmingham City

- The club’s last appearance in a major final was in this very competition nearly a decade ago, losing out to Liverpool on penalties in what was the Worthington Cup back in 2001.

- Birmingham have lost just two of their last 32 competitive matches at St Andrews.

- Birmingham have scored two or more goals in any one match in just two of their last nine competitive matches, neither of those coming at St Andrews.

West Ham United

- West Ham manager Avram Grant has made it to two major finals during his short managerial career, the 2007/2008 UEFA Champions League final in Moscow with Chelsea and the 2009/2010 FA Cup with Portsmouth, the Israeli losing both.

- The Hammers have won just one of their last 30 away games in the Premier League, just three of their last 33 away matches in all competitions.

- Have an immaculate record in the cups this season under Avram Grant, the Hammers having won all five of their matches in the Carling Cup, albeit one of those with the assistance of extra-time, and one FA Cup tie.

Head-to-Head

- In five Premiership encounters at St Andrews since 2003, Birmingham have only won one of them compared to West Ham’s two – Lee Bowyer with the only goal of the game when Birmingham won 1-0 last season.

- West Ham were victorious in the most recent League Cup clash, Joe Cole on the scoresheet that night as the Hammers recorded a 3-2 win at St Andrews back in 1999.

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Match Prediction: Draw – 3.60 BetFred

It’s simple for Birmingham: Win the second leg outright and you’re through to next month’s final to face Arsenal. Anything less and the Hammers will do their victory parade on Birmingham turf. Only a 2-1 scoreline in favour of Birmingham will take this tie into extra-time, possibly even penalties should neither score thereafter.

Don’t get me wrong, St Andrews has been something of a fortress for Birmingham City ever since their return to the Premiership for the 2009/2010 season (You’ll find a couple of eye-catching statistics in the ‘Pointers’ section). However, the Hammers have shown some real grit and determination in recent weeks during a period where their manager has found his tenure as manager hanging by the slimmest of threads.

Being without Victor Obinna and Frederic Piquionne, the latter the club’s leading goalscorer this season, does hinder their chances, however the return of Scott Parker was telling for us. In a match where West Ham require players with heart rather than an eye for the goal, Parker really does lead by example with his workmanlike attitude. I expect the likes of Parker, Upson and Robert Green to shine on the night as Grant continues to defy not just all the odds, but adversity.

Value Bet: West Ham to Qualify – 1.67 SkyBet

Match Odds:

Birmingham City – 2.10 Bet365 (General)
Draw – 3.60 BetFred
West Ham United – 3.60 VictorChandler

Manchester United V Birmingham City

Saturday, 22nd January – 15:00 (GMT)
Venue: Old Trafford

Manchester United

There are few better at working towards a common goal than Manchester United, so the fact United sit atop of the Barclay’s Premier League couple with having gone the entire season thus far without losing, only makes them a formidable force heading into the what should be another barn-storming finish from the Red Devils.

Since the middle of November, only two teams have managed to stop a relentless United team in their tracks. One of those was Tottenham, the North London outfit holding Sir Alex’s men to a 0-0 draw at White Hart Lane last Sunday in what was actually a satisfactory result for the temperamental Scot, who had his patience tested after full-back Rafael was shown a harsh second yellow card which means the Brazilian is now ruled out of Saturday’s contest with Birmingham. The second team was Birmingham at St Andrews just three weeks ago.

Although those two small blips occurred outside of Manchester, United have found recent meetings with the Blues ‘testing’ to say the very least. The previous two encounters at Old Trafford have both finished 1-0 in United’s favour, Wayne Rooney scoring the winner last season. However, while Birmingham have stuck to their task of defending valiantly tremendously well in recent visits, United still boast an outrageously impressive head-to-head record against the Blues, having won all six of the previous Premier League meetings at Old Trafford without conceding.

The fact Birmingham have never scored a Premier League goal at Old Trafford is actually a poignant statistic, seeing as United have secured six of their eleven wins at home this season with a clean sheet. Throw into the mix a couple of statistics I read up on Yahoo Sport; United have conceded the less shots on goal and Birmingham having had fewer attempts on target than any other side in the top-flight, and United to beat Birmingham City for the seventh time in a row without conceding suddenly becomes a delightful little bet.

As bizarre as it is, West Brom are the only team this season not to have found Manchester United at Old Trafford too hot to handle. Everyone else, including the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham, have all been dispatched and we have every confidence that Birmingham will follow suit. Wayne Rooney should return to wreak havoc on a defence he has scored four goals against during his career, meanwhile Dimitar Berbatov has scored 12 of his 14 league goals at Old Trafford this and coupled with the strongest home defence in the league, United really should make mincemeat of Birmingham.

Man Utd Fact: The Red Devils have gone in at half-time with a lead in each of their eleven games at Old Trafford this season, although only once, against West Brom, have they failed to hang onto their advantage.

Birmingham City

Goals from Alex Hleb and Scott Dann against Blackpool at Bloomfield Road helped Birmingham banish their away voodoo of being the only team in the Premier League not to have won an away fixture this season at that point, however any chance of them recording their first set of back-to-back away wins in the Premier League appear slim at best considering their very next away encounter is against Manchester United at Old Trafford, where Birmingham have never even scored a Premier League goal let alone registered a point.

Six previous visit to Manchester for a clash with the Red Devils in the Premiership has left Birmingham with burnt fingers, despite their best efforts in putting up tern resistance. And resisted they have, as their last two trips has seen them come away with two narrow losses which coupled with their recent upturn in away form, having beaten Blackpool and Millwall in the last two weeks alone, should at least give the team some comfort and food for thought in a fixture which down the years they’ve dreaded, and still very much do.

While Alex Mcleish will try his best to convince folk like us that he and his team are focusing solely on Saturday’s trip to Old Trafford, it’s almost impossible, particularly those of foreign descent in the Birmingham dressing room, for them not to have at least one eye on their midweek semi-final clash with West Ham in the Carling Cup. In fact, had McLeish not found himself in desperate need of the points, with his team languishing near the foot of the table and vulnerable to spending another week inside the bottom three should they suffer their seventh league defeat of the season, might have rested some of his key players with Tuesday’s clash in mind. After all, few expect them to take anything away from their visit to Old Trafford. Their record there speaks for itself.

Unfortunately for McLeish, circumstances dictate and in this instance the Scot will have little option but to name his strongest eleven, as Premier League points are far more important than a Carling Cup final at Wembley, despite how glamorous that may sound to the fans. Centre-half Scott Dann, who has been a rock alongside Roger Johnson, has been ruled out with a hamstring injury though Cameron Jerome should return to lead the attack despite missing last Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa. David Bentley will make his second appearance for the club in the absence of set-piece specialist Sebastian Larsson.

Birmingham Fact: The Blues have scored in seven of their ten away matches this season, one less than amount of times Birmingham have failed to score at Old Trafford in the Premier League (6).
 

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Last 5 Results

Manchester United

Premiership: Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Manchester United
FA Cup: Manchester United 1-0 Liverpool
Premiership: Manchester United 2-1 Stoke City
Premiership: West Brom 1-2 Manchester United
Premiership: Birmingham City 1-1 Manchester United

Birmingham City

Premiership: Birmingham City 1-1 Aston Villa
FA Cup: Millwall 1-4 Birmingham City
Carling Cup: West Ham 2-1 Birmingham City
Premiership: Blackpool 1-2 Birmingham city
Premiership: Birmingham City 0-3 Arsenal

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Head-to-Head (Last 5 Seasons)

2010/2011: Birmingham City 1-1 Manchester United

2009/2010: Birmingham City 1-1 Manchester United
2009/2010: Manchester United 1-0 Birmingham City

2007/2008: Manchester United 1-0 Birmingham City
2007/2008: Birmingham City 0-1 Manchester United

2005/2006: Manchester United 3-0 Birmingham City
2005/2006: Birmingham City 2-2 Manchester United

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2010/2011 Premiership Statistics

Manchester United

League Position: 1st
Win-Draw-Lose: 12-9-0 (Home: 10-1-0)
Goal Difference: 43-19 (Home: 29-7)
Form: WDWWD (Home: WWWWW)
Top Scorer: Dimitar Berbatov (14)

Birmingham City

League Position: 16th
Win-Draw-Lose: 4-11-6 (Away: 1-5-4)
Goal Difference: 21-26 (Away: 11-15)
Form: LDLWD (Away: LDDLW)
Top Scorer: Craig Gardner (4)

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Betting Odds & Tips

Match Prediction: Manchester United to WIN – 1.25 William Hill

Birmingham’s record away to United in the Premier League is dire to say the very least, imperious if you’re looking at it from a United perspective. In six previous visits to Old Trafford for a Premiership encounter, Birmingham have failed to score even once, losing all six to NIL. Formidable stuff!

The Blues struggle to create chances at the best of times so up against a Scrooge-like United defence, another baren outing would appear on the card for Alex McLeish’s charges, who will work tirelessly for the cause, as they generally do, but lack any cutting edge in the final third do genuinely challenge the hosts for a share of the available spoils.

When United get themselves in front, they’re so difficult to peg back. Sir Alex’s men remain the pacesetters with games in hand over all their rivals. They’ve been almost untouchable at Old Trafford this season, winning ten of eleven on home soil, and with Wayne Rooney getting closer to his form of old, albeit not in the same scoring vein, and Dimitar Berbatov producing his finer displays this season at the Theatre of Dreams, not to mention the evergreen form of Ryan Giggs and Edwin Van Der Saar, it should be another routine win for the Premier League kings on Saturday, their seventh in a row at home over Birmingham City.

Value Bet: Manchester United to WIN to NIL – 1.73 SkyBet

The Red Devils have won all of their six previous home encounters with Birmingham City in the Premier League without conceding.

Match Odds:

Manchester United – 1.22 William Hill (General)
Draw – 7.00 Victor Chandler
Birmingham City – 17.00 Victor Chandler

Birmingham City V Aston Villa

Sunday, 16th January – 12:00 (GMT)
Venue: St Andrews
TV Coverage: Sky Sports HD1

Birmingham City

You have to wonder just how much of a distraction will Birmingham’s Carling Cup commitments be on their immediate plans to avoid the drop. The Blues, who are just a point above the relegation and in danger of enduring another spell inside the bottom three should the succumb to defeat at the weekend, have the alluring sight of Wembley on their minds but know they must overturn a 2-1 deficit if they’re to book their rightful place in that final next month. However, securing their Premiership status should be of utmost importance for Alex McLeish, whom named his strongest possible eleven as his side were beaten at Upton Park during the week.

With Birmingham still going in all competitions, there is rarely a moments rest bite for Alec McLeish’s charges. A resounding 4-1 win over Millwall at The Den in the third-round of the FA Cup last Saturday meant they progressed into the fourth-round, although Tuesday’s Carling Cup semi-final defeat at West Ham means McLeish has to name a similarly strong team in the second leg. Sooner or later, fatigue will creep up on them, and in a derby encounter they’ve now gone seven top-flight meetings without winning, perhaps Birmingham’s hectic schedule will be enough to put many punters off them this weekend against a Villa side who have won on their previous three league visits to St Andrews.

Following Tuesday’s setback in the Carling Cup, a competition Birmingham have now set their sights firmly on winning, the fans were in need of a lift and McLeish may well have remedied that situation. David Bentley has joined on loan until the end of the season from Tottenham Hotspur, a player with an exceptional delivery on him and someone who will bolster a pretty ordinary midfield with some much need creativity. Just as well really as Birmingham have struggled to carve our opportunities all season, but with Alex Hleb working his magic on the opposite flank, Cameron Jerome and Nikola Zigic should have more to contend with up front than previously.

We all know just how well Birmingham can defend in matches, their Achilles heel has been their lack of potency up front. To plunder just ten goals on home soil is pretty pathetic. In fact, Birmingham haven’t surpassed the one-goal marker in any of their previous four clashes at home, while the 0-0 draw they grounded out back at Villa Park took their barren spell in front of goal against the Villains to over three-and-a-half hours without scoring in a Second City derby. Will David Bentley prove the solution to their scoring problems?

Aston Villa

It’s about time a club stuck to their guns and kept faith in a manager they appointed even through the bad spells in a relationship. And if this was a relationship, the two parties would be have filed for divorce way before now, with Houllier’s honeymoon period at the club not lasting long whatsoever. In fact, since guiding Villa to successive wins immediately on the back of his appointment, his charges have gone on to register a miserly two wins in the Premier League, and subsequently slide down the league where they now find themselves occupying one of three relegation spots.

Gerard Houllier is pinning his hopes on one of two factors injecting some much needed optimism into his demoralised ranks. The first being their 3-1 victory over Sheffield United in the third-round of the FA Cup last weekend, a win which was tarnished courtesy of Ashley Young’s red card meaning he’ll sit out Sunday’s Second City derby with Birmingham City, and the imminent signing of French international Jean Makoun, with Aston Villa agreeing a £5million fee with Lyon for the industrious midfielder. Houllier has often relied on the exuberance of youth providing some steel in the midfield, but in Makoun they’ll have a tireless worker with an abundance of experience.

Villa have an impressive head-to-head record with their Midland rivals and it’s down to Gerard Houllier to inspire the Villa dressing room as relinquishing their mental stranglehold over Birmingham really would be a damaging blow, and also another new low for a club and it’s supporters who aren’t used to tasting so many defeats. The 0-0 stalemate back at Villa Park was a disappointing outcome for Villa but it did at least stretch their unbeaten run in the Second City derby to seven matches, although that doesn’t include competitions outside of the Premier League, which is just as well as Birmingham would then have the edge, after the Blues were victorious when the two sides clashed at St Andrews in a recent Carling Cup encounter.

Based on the head-to-head alone, Villa appear an outstanding bet on paper. However, their form overall has been drastic to say the least. Their 3-1 win away at Sheffield United last weekend helped eased some of the intense pressure which had surrounding Houllier following a wretched string of results. Just one win from their last eight league matches simply isn’t good enough, and to see that six of those were defeats is appalling. There have been reports of dressing room disharmony and the results under Houllier reflect this.

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Last 5 Results

Birmingham City

Carling Cup: West Ham 2-1 Birmingham City
FA Cup: Millwall 1-4 Birmingham City
Premier League: Blackpool 1-2 Birmingham City
Premier League: Birmingham City 0-3 Arsenal
Premier League: Birmingham City 1-1 Manchester United

Aston Villa

FA Cup: Sheffield United 1-3 Aston Villa
Premier League: Aston Villa 0-1 Sunderland
Premier League: Chelsea 3-3 Aston Villa
Premier League: Manchester City 4-0 Aston Villa
Premier League: Aston Villa 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur

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Premier League Head-to-Head (Last 5 Seasons)

2010/2011: Aston Villa 0-0 Birmingham City

2009/2010: Aston Villa 1-0 Birmingham City
2009/2010: Birmingham City 0-1 Aston Villa

2007/2008: Aston Villa 5-1 Birmingham City
2007/2008: Birmingham City 1-2 Aston Villa

2005/2006: Aston Villa 3-1 Birmingham City
2005/2006: Birmingham City 0-1 Aston Villa

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2010/2011 Premier League Statistics

Birmingham City

League Position: 15th
Win-Draw-Lose: 4-10-6 (Home: 3-5-2)
Goal Difference: 20-25 (Home: 9-10)
Form: DLDLW (Home: DWDDL)
Top Scorer: Craig Gardner (4)

Aston Villa

League Position: 18th
Win-Draw-Lose: 5-6-10 (Away: 1-2-7)
Goal Difference: 23-38 (Away: 8-25)
Form: WLLDL (Away: DLLLD)
Top Scorer: Stewart Downing (5)

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Betting Odds & Tips

Match Prediction: Birmingham City to WIN – 2.50 WilliamHill

Probably because he’s only been at the club at a matter of months, but you get the feeling Houllier isn’t at all happy with the squad he’s inherited and that he’s still unsure as to what his strongest eleven is. There have been numerous reports of dressing room discontent, the Frenchman rarely names the same team twice, and without some stability and continuity, of course the results aren’t going to come your way as regularly as you would like.

In stark contrast is Alex McLeish, who gives everyone confidence that he believes his every team he puts out there. They are incredibly strong at home, just two league defeats at St Andrews all season, which is more than can be said for their opponent’s who have lost seven of their ten away encounters in the league this season, as well as three of their last four and five of their previous seven, the majority of those without even finding the back of the net.

It has been a long time since Birmingham last registered a Premier League victory over the Villains, nearly six years, but they’ve arguably never been in a better shape, physically and mentally, to better such a dismal head-to-head. Their defence is rock-solid, almost impenetrable at times, the midfield works their socks off, as does Cameron Jerome up front. They did suffer a minor setback on Tuesday in the Carling Cup but nothing that cannot be fixed in the return leg back at St Andrews, where we expect Birmingham to run out worthy winners in Sunday’s Second City derby.

Match Odds:

Birmingham City – 2.50 WilliamHill
Draw – 3.25 StanJames
Aston Villa – 3.25 Boylesports 

West Ham V Birmingham City

Tuesday, 11th January – 19:45 (GMT)
LIVE on BBC2

West Ham

Hammers boss Avram Grant is determined to ignore all the media vultures who have spent the last month circling Upton Park waiting for what would appear the worst kept secret in English football to come to fruition, with reports suggesting the West Ham board will hold a meeting on Wednesday to ultimately decide Grant’s fate, and whether or not to go through with the plans which claim David Gold and David Sullivan, co-owners of West Ham United, are set to replace the Israeli with former Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce.

You cannot help but sympathise with Grant, especially should the inevitable happen on Wednesday. The board handed him a Christmas ultimatum of winning at least one of either league meetings with Blackburn, Fulham or Everton and he meet the criteria, and then some. Two wins and two draws over the festive period and in the New Year had seen the Hammers rise as high as 15th in the table, but their mid-season revival came to an abrupt halt courtesy of their heaviest defeat of the season less than a week ago, when Newcastle thumped Grant’s charges 5-0 at St James’ as the Hammers’ previously prosperous league position of 15th suddenly turned disastrous once more, with the club once again find themselves rooted to the foot of the league.

It would appear the board are eager to see the back of Grant, though the Israeli is frustrating the two David’s in that he continues to pull rabbits from the hat just at the precise moment Gold and Sullivan are prepared to put the former Chelsea and Portsmouth gaffer out of his misery. On Saturday, Grant guided West Ham into the Fourth Round of the FA Cup thanks to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Barnsley, while we shouldn’t forget that it was the same manager who has masterminded this mazy run into the semi-finals of the Caring Cup, where the club are now just two games away from appearing in a major final, and it would maintained this trend of Grant having appear in a final at every club he’s managed.

Because Grant will know he’s under pressure to deliver a positive outcome on Tuesday, he’ll name a very strong side in a bid to make Wednesday’s boardroom meeting as complicated and as stressful as humanley possible. And if he can inspire his team to produce a performance similar to that which saw the Hammers spank Premier League pacesetters Manchester United 4-0 at Upton Park in the previous round, then it would take something extraordinary from their opponents to stop West Ham from putting one foot in the final.

The morale inside the West Ham dressing room shouldn’t be a problem, nor should there be any lack of confidence following an impressive run of form which has seen West Ham lose just one of their last six competitive matches. Furthermore, the Hammers are unbeaten on home soil in their last three games in all competitions, including victories over Barnsley and Wolves, while Avram Grant will feel his team have the slight edge mentally after they held Birmingham to a 2-2 draw on the road earlier in the season in a game where the Hammers were 2-0 up at half-time and should have gone on to clinch maximum points.

Birmingham City

In stark contrast to their semi-final opponent’s build-up, Birmingham’s pre-match preparations have gone smoothly, without any hiccups. In fact Alex McLeish will have virtually a full-strength squad to pick from for Tuesday’s Carling Cup clash with rock-bottom West Ham, while, if the paperwork goes through on time, McLeish may even have the luxury of handing David Bentley his début.

After a torrid first half to the season which seen Birmingham finish the year inside the relegation zone, Alex McLeish suddenly found some Scottish courage as soon as 2011 burst into life. All of sudden, Birmingham are playing with a bit of zest about them, with more intent and passion, particularly in the attacking third of the pitch. No longer are the Blues focusing solely on defending parity, they’re actually interested in winning matches for a change. Alex Hleb now resembles something close to the player which earned so many rave rewards when at Arsenal, with the Belarus international weaving his magic out on the touchline, while seeing Birmingham start games with two up front certainly is no eye-sore, although, saying that, Nikola Zigic is no Michael Buble.

We’re chuffed to bits to see Alex McLeish have a change of heart, with his previously all-out negative tactics tweaked somewhat. The same resolute defence still makes an appearance, although the same one which hasn’t kept a clean sheet in any competition in nearly two months, but offensively Birmingham are more of a threat and that makes them a dangerous proposition for the punters, particularly as they’ve hit a purple patch just at the time when West Ham have also hit a rich vein of form. Back-to-back wins within the space of a week – beating Blackpool away from home 2-1 before doubling up with a 4-1 rout of Millwall in the FA Cup – will have done the spirit of the dressing room the world of good, a dressing room McLeish had his concerns about a little over a week ago. It’s amazing what a couple of wins can do to a team, in this case breathe a fresh lease of life into each and every player.

So Birmingham are aiming to complete the hat-trick, a unique treble haul as well as victory on Tuesday at West Ham’s Upton Park would be their third success on the spin, all in different competitions. It’s a silly feat, one Alex McLeish and his team will care less about, with the opportunity to make their first appearance in a major final since 2001, fittingly in this very competition. Unfortunately, however, the Blues were losers that day, losing to Liverpool on penalties. The objective is to go one better this time around, but they must first despatch of a rejuvenated West Ham before they can even start contemplating of Wembley and entertaining the prospect of a major final.

Ironically, this despite our rave review of Birmingham’s new found love for attacking football and scoring goals, Alex McLeish will probably air on the side of caution a little more than they have done of late on Tuesday night. After all, this match will be settled in the second leg and the final leg will be played at Birmingham’s St Andrews, a fortress for the Blues as they’ve suffered just two defeats their in 25 league matches. However, with Birmingham recently putting their away voodoo to bed with successive away wins over Blackpool and Millwall, no longer can their abysmal away record be highlighted as a possible negative, at least not for this specific match, as right now Birmingham are bang in form on the road.

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Carling Cup Results

West Ham

Second Round: West Ham 1-0 Oxford United
Third Round: Sunderland 1-2 West Ham
Fourth Round: West Ham 3-1 Stoke City (AET)
Quarter-Final: West Ham 4-0 Manchester United

Birmingham City

Second Round: Birmingham City 3-2 Rochdale
Third Round: Birmingham City 3-1 MK Dons
Fourth Round: Birmingham City 1-1 Brentford (Birmingham won 4-3 on penalties)
Quarter-Final: Birmingham City 2-1 Aston Villa

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Last 5 Matches

West Ham

FA Cup: West Ham 2-0 Barnsley
Premier League: Newcastle United 5-0 West Ham
Premier League: West Ham 2-0 Wolves
Premier League: West Ham 1-1 Everton
Premier League: Fulham 1-3 West Ham

Birmingham City

FA Cup: Millwall 1-4 Birmingham City
Premier League: Blackpool 1-2 Birmingham City
Premier League: Birmingham City 0-3 Arsenal
Premier League: Birmingham City 1-1 Manchester United
Premier League: Wolves 1-0 Birmingham City

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Match Prediction: Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

On form alone, I reckon Birmingham would just edge it. Back-to-back away wins is solid form heading over to Upton Park, where the hosts have conjured just six wins all season, in all competitions. However, this is a massive game for Avram Grant and West Ham, possibly make-or-break when you consider that less than 24 hours later the West Ham owners will meet to decide the Israeli’s fate.

Over Christmas the under-fire Hammers boss was under immense pressure to deliver results, with speculation suggesting he needed to pick up points else he was out the door by the time 2011 kicked into life, and his players responded to his rallying calls with just one defeat in six games. Can they do it all over again? Of course, although, the pressure is well and truly on the both manager and players to mastermind a winning result on Tuesday in the knowledge that getting a result in the second leg over at St Andrews will be difficult.

Birmingham have found their scoring touch of late but we’re expecting a more conservative approach to the match from Alex McLeish, who wouldn’t turn his nose up at a draw. Whether the same outcome would be viewed as positive by the West Ham owners remains to be seen.

Match odds:

West Ham – 2.25 Bet365
Draw – 3.40 SkyBet
Birmingham City – 3.50 VictorChandler

Blackpool V Birmingham City

Tuesday, 4th January – 20:00 (GMT)
Venue: Bloomfield Road
Previous Meeting: Birmingham City 2-0 Blackpool (23 Oct, 2010)

Blackpool

Despite suffering their first setback in seven matches, when beaten by Manchester City at the City of Manchester stadium on New Year’s day, the entire Blackpool camp are convinced they have it within them to bounce back and make an immediate return to winning ways. And they won’t be the only ones confident in their ability to defy a setback, as Blackpool’s virtuoso displays in the Premier League so far have earned them so many admirers, so up against a Birmingham side without an away win all season, the Tangerines may prove a popular selection in the betting rings.

Even in defeat Blackpool still come away having collected so many plaudits, as they’ve done on so many previous occasions this season. But it hasn’t been a hard luck story for the Tangerines, who find themselves comfortably above the drop and needing, realistically, just 15 more points in order to guarantee survival. Three of those points look set to come on Tuesday, when they hosts a poor travelling and currently lacking in form Birmingham City, though Blackpool can ill-afford to allow arrogance or complacency to creep into their game and it’s not as though their opponents in midweek are walkovers. Quite the opposite in fact, as top-flight sides don’t come more resilient and industrious than Birmingham City.

The last time Ian Holloway met Alex McLeish, Holloway would freely admit has was out-thought by his opposite number as the Blues of Birmingham completely outplayed the Tangerine Orange of Blackpool. No doubt that encounter will be playing on the mind of Holloway, who is once again ruling out tactical changes meaning the same old attack-minded Blackpool will turn up on Tuesday, but they could be the makers of their own downfall if they aren’t careful, as Birmingham have already proven they can be one of Blackpool’s bogey teams, not least because Birmingham are actually capable of repelling a Tangerine invasion on their goalmouth. A lot of patience is required from Holloway’s side, I’m not sure whether they’ll have enough as 90 minutes with Birmingham can be frustrating at times, just ask Aston Villa, Bolton, Man City and Sunderland, teams who are all very strong at home but failed to overhaul the Blues on home soil.

Because of the manner in which they play – all-out attack, and often without a care in the world as to how many men they commit forward into attack, they’ll rightly have admirers. Because of the amount of goals they score, which after 18 matches in the Premiership currently stands at 30, and their ability to spring a surprise will make them a hit with the majority of punters. However, while the Tangerines are a breathe of fresh air to watch, they are far from untouchable and the use of right tactics, formation and personnel would see them struggle, which is why I have my concerns regarding their chances on Tuesday night up against a well-drilled, stubborn Birmingham side.

Furthermore, Blackpool are the favourites – A kiss of death if ever I saw one. The majority of their wins this season have come against all the odds, so on the one rare occasion where they are outright favourites to win a Premier League encounter, the word typical would instantly spring to mind were they slip-up in what on paper looks a straightforward home match-up with second from bottom and winless on the road Birmingham City.

Birmingham City

Alex McLeish has a full bill of health ahead of Tuesday night’s encounter with Premiership enthusiasts Blackpool, whom they completely outplayed in the first meeting between the two sides as goals from Liam Ridgewell and Nikola Zigic handed Birmingham a thoroughly deserved win back in October. Since then, however, McLeish has seen his team win just once – Beating Chelsea, of all teams, 1-0 at St Andrews – while this agonising wait for a first away win since March – 14 matches on the road without winning – hasn’t shown any signs of coming to a halt either.

So what does 2011 have instore for Birmingham City? More importantly, how will they fare in the second half of the season? You would like to think their fortunes would improve, as there really isn’t much scope for error where they are at the present time, which is struggling near the foot of the table and very much in a desperate fight for survival. Defeat at home to Arsenal last time out, where they were comprehensively beaten by a Gunners side who strolled to a 3-0 victory at St Andrews, has meant Birmingham find only mediocre Wolves below them in the league, a harrowing sight in itself, though safety is just one win away and it is that factor alone which should provide motivation for the Birmingham camp.

Not scoring enough goals is the root of their problems – Just 18 all season but on just six occasions have they surpassed the one goal marker in a single match, and not once in their last seven, and although their defence is still pretty reliable, you do find yourself scratching your head when questioning where their next win is going to come from. Will it arrive at Bloomfield Road on Tuesday? Chance will be a fine thing. Only Birmingham have yet to win away from home this season. However, the Tangerines may just be the ideal counterweight for the Blues, who will use their well-oiled defensive machine to frustrate the hosts as they go in search of spoils in the other end of the pitch on the counter, although their best chance of scoring would appear to be through set-plays, as technically Birmingham are extremely poor – No team in the top-flight has created less opportunities than Birmingham this season.

You’ll probably think we’re mad, but Blackpool may be where their dire away rut comes to an end. After all, the Blues have had this frustrating knack of producing a relegation-easing win from out of nowhere while, going by the two sets of starting XI’s, and mainly how McLeish will set them up to frustrate their attack-minded hosts, I can just see Birmingham enjoying a bit of away fortune for a change. Could be wrong. The form book would strongly suggest I will be, and I’m sure most of you will be chuckling away as well. Hopefully, I’ll be the one having the last laugh.

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Last 5 Results

Blackpool

Premier League: Manchester City 1-0 Blackpool
Premier League: Sunderland 0-2 Blackpool
Premier League: Stoke City 0-1 Blackpool
Premier League: Bolton Wanderers 2-2 Blackpool
Premier League: Blackpool 2-1 Wolves

Birmingham City

Premier League: Birmingham City 0-3 Arsenal
Premier League: Birmingham City 1-1 Manchester United
Premier League: Wolves 1-0 Birmingham City
Premier League: Birmingham City 1-1 Fulham
Premier League: Birmingham City 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur

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Head-to-Head

These two teams have never contested a Premier League fixture previously.

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2010/2011 Premier League Statistics

Blackpool

League Position: 11th
Win-Draw-Lose: 7-4-7 (Home: 2-2-2)
Form: WDWWL (Home: LLWDW)
Goal Difference: 26-30 (Home: 11-11)
Top Scorer: Dudley Campbell, Luke Varney & Marlon Harewood (5)

Birmingham City

League Position: 19th
Win-Draw-Lose: 3-10-6 (Away: 0-5-4)
Form: DDLDL (Away: DLDDL)
Goal Difference: 18-24 (Away: 9-14)
Top Scorer: Craig Gardner (4)

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Team News

Blackpool

Ian Holloway is set to make changes to his starting XI in a bid to protect the fitness and conditioning of his players, with Matt Philipps, who impressed from the bench at Eastlands on Saturday, set to be handed a rare opportunity to shine from the outset. Goalkeeper Matt Gilks is among those still sidelined through injury, as are Chris Basham, Elliot Grandin and Marlon Harewood.

Birmingham City

Alex McLeish doesn’t have any injury nor suspension worries ahead of the trip to Blackpool, although midfielder Lee Bowyer is being investigated by the FA for a stamp on Bacary Sagna at St Andrews on Saturday. Alex Hleb came off the bench in that game to replace the disappointing Jean Beausejour, and the Belarus international could replace the Chilean in the starting XI, while Nikola Zigic is also pushing for a starting berth and could start instead of Cameron Jerome, who worked tirelessly up front by himself against the Gunners and may well need time to recover.

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Betting Odds & Tips

Match Prediction: Birmingham City to WIN – 3.30 VictorChandler

If you took the time to read through both previews then you’ve probably pre-guessed my match prediction, but we’re on the Blues of Birmingham anyhow to clinch what would be three massive points for Alex McLeish and his players, a victory which would go some way to easing the threat of relegation.

You’ll struggle to find a team in the country who boast more value for money than Blackpool. By the same token, the Tangerines are becoming a tad too predictable in that Ian Holloway is always going to set his team up to play on the front foot, and that leaves his side vulnerably to tactical exploitation. Birmingham boss McLeish completely out-thought his opposite number when the two sides clashed at St Andrews back in October, a defeat Holloway won’t have forgotten in a hurry, but whether Holloway adjusts his formation and tactics accordingly remains to be seen, although I’m not 100% sure he will and that spells trouble in my opinion.

Extremely well organised at the back, rock-solid and combative in the centre of the park and a constant threat from set-plays, Birmingham appear to be a nemesis in the making for Blackpool.

Match Odds:

Blackpool – 2.38 Boylesports
Draw – 3.40 Coral
Birmingham City – 3.30 VictorChandler

Birmingham City V Arsenal

Kick-off: Saturday, 1st January – 17:30 (GMT)
Venue: St Andrews
TV Coverage: ESPN

Birmingham City

Birmingham’s third draw in four games was arguably the most impressive of the lot, after sharing the spoils with the New Year league leaders Manchester United at St Andrews. On paper alone, a fantastic result against an opponent who were beginning to find their best form, however the reward, plaudits aside, was just a single point and although it was an impressive point, it hasn’t done a great deal to enhance their league predicament, nor did it boost their profile and the general perception of them by the public, who have started to voice their displeasure at seeing such negative, unattractive and dare we say boring football from Alex McLeish’s men this season.

This brand of football being played by Birmingham isn’t new nor surprising, they did it throughout the whole of last season and were praised for the success they enjoyed at the end of the term: Survival. And despite finishing a sublime ninth in the table, there was no doubt that Birmingham had overachieved during 2009/2010, and that the following season survival for the second successive year would once again be the primary goal. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been plain sailing second time around and while some will be quick to put it down to ‘Second Season Syndrome’, in reality it’s simply a case of Birmingham becoming far too predictable and playing to type. No longer do the Blues bring that mysterious quality to matches, or any quality for that matter, with everyone now well aware of how they’ll play, which is basically to defend parity for as long as possible, with a 4-5-1 formation which almost turns into a 9-0-1 set up at times, hoping to snatch one up the other end via a set-piece.

Don’t get me wrong, Birmingham will collect points this season, only the majority of those will come in 1′s. A rock-solid defence and a world-class goalie to boot means Birmingham are immensely difficult to beat, particularly at home, and will at least register the odd point here and there. However, the rest of their set-up doesn’t really merit any recognition as up top, in the final third of the pitch, an area where games are actually won, the Blues have been dismal to say the least so to see just three wins associated with Birmingham City this season isn’t a major surprise, not in the slightest, as no team in the top-flight has created fewer chances than McLeish’s Birmingham this season – And you could argue that no team in the country plays in such a negative, gauge your eyes out manner.

As you can probably tell, I’m not Birmingham’s biggest fan, however punters will probably be of a different opinion. After all, the Blues are very consistent in one area of expertise and that’s drawing matches – No team has drawn more top-flight fixtures than Birmingham City this season – A shared honour with Everton and Fulham. Draws are always priced up at appealing odds so punters backing this precise outcome will have benefited greatly from the Blues, in particular against strong opposition at St Andrews. Against the traditional ‘Big Four’ of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd, Birmingham have yet to lose a single encounter since their return to the Premiership for the 2009/2010 campaign – W1 D6 L0; that one victory coming against Chelsea in November, 2010. Throw in draws with Tottenham and Man City last term, the former once again this season (1-1), all at St Andrews, and you’ll start to understand why so many are refusing to rule out Birmingham adding to Arsenal’s woes on Saturday, although you get the impression that if they are to spring a surprise then it will only be in the form of another predictable stalemate.

Only Everton have beaten the Blues in 24 league games at St Andrews; only Blackburn, West Ham, Tottenham and Man Utd have even managed to find a way past Ben Foster in the Birmingham goal this season, so there is certainly evidence to suggest Alex McLeish’s side are capable of grounding out yet another result against the odds.

Arsenal

As Arsenal continue to flirt with the prospect of challenging for the Premier League crown, Arsene Wenger was insistent of criticising his defence following Wednesday’s missed opportunity to join United and City at the summit at Wigan, as well as in the process pointing where all the problems arose on Wednesday evening. We weren’t quite sure what to make of his comments, when suggesting his defence lacked any communication or leadership qualities, with one part of us saying some home truths could prove beneficial in the long run while the other half of me feels he probably should have done his slating and criticial assessment behind closed doors. However, the most damning of them all was the fact it took the Frenchman until the midway point of the season to realise what everyone else has known for quite some time now, that this Arsenal defence simply isn’t good enough to challenge for major honours.

Even though the belittling of his defence should have been for dressing room occupants only, no-one would disagree with what Wenger had to say on a defence which has received its fair share of criticism this season.  Following his side’s 2-2 draw with relegation threatened Wigan Athletic, Arsene Wenger bemoaned the lack of organisation, leadership and cohesion at the back when really he should have been pointing the finger at himself. Sol Campbell, Mikael Silvestre and William Gallas, while undoubtedly are in the twilight of their playing careers, were all seasoned veterans and their experience at the back would have proved invaluable, even if it was merely from the bench of restricted even to just the training pitch. Now Wenger has left himself with a selection of youngsters to choose from, most of which don’t have enough Premiership years under their belts.

At full-back, Arsenal are fine, however at centre-half, the heart of any defence, the Gunners lack a number of vital characteristics required in order to remain watertight. Laurent Koscielny still looks way to exposed and vulnerable, and very weak in the challenge. Johan Djourou is a prospect and did actually impress during Arsenal’s sensational 3-1 win over Chelsea on Monday, while for all Sebastien Squillaci’s experience of playing at the highest level in other countries, he’s looked well out of his depth. Thomas Vermaelen is an outstanding defender in my opinion, although he does have his flaws, but he’s the best of the lot, the best leader they have at the back, and without the Belgian centre-half, whom returned with figures of 8 goals in 33 appearances for Arsenal last season, you cannot help but worry for the Gunners who urgently need a dependable back-four because of the manner in which they play their football, which is expansive and with an element of freedom which in turn leaves them exposed to speedy breakaways.

Arsenal’s cause isn’t helped by the lack of world-class goalkeepers at the club, or even keepers of a Premiership calibre. Lukasz Fabianski is the current holder of the gloves and everyone knows he’s vulnerable in the aerial duels, so a trip to St Andrews, where their opponent’s are something of set-play specialists, looks a daunting prospect for the Gunners, who have failed to win on either of their last two visits to St Andrews.

While we feel Arsenal are vulnerable against Birmingham’s aerial prowess, we do, however, feel no team is better equipped to thwart Birmingham’s stubborn, resilient nature at home than Arsene Wenger’s team. Technically there is no-one better in the country at moving the ball around the pitch, side-to-side or through the middle, and peircing defences; while their midfield is packed to the rafters with flair and creativity. Wenger foolishly made wholesale changes for Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw with Wigan, with Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri among those rested. The pair are very much expected to return to the starting XI for the trip to Birmingham and with both a lot fresher for their DW absence, there shouldn’t be any shortage of energy in the Arsenal engine room, and that should mean Arsenal create at least twice as many chances as the hosts, who unwillingly post the worst creative record in the entire top-flight, meaning Arsenal look a great shout providing the law of averages works in their favour.

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Last 5 Matches

Birmingham City

Premier League: Birmingham City 1-1 Manchester United
Premier League: Wolves 1-0 Birmingham City
Premier League: Birmingham City 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Carling Cup: Birmingham City 2-1 Aston Villa
Premier League: Fulham 1-1 Birmingham City

Arsenal

Premier League: Wigan Athletic 2-2 Arsenal
Premier League: Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea
Premier League: Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal
Champions League: Arsenal 3-1 Partizan Belgrade
Premier League: Arsenal 2-1 Fulham

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Premier League Head-to-Head (Last 5 Seasons)

2010/2011: Arsenal 2-1 Birmingham City

2009/2010: Birmingham City 1-1 Arsenal
2009/2010: Arsenal 3-1 Birmingham City

2007/2008: Birmingham City 2-2 Arsenal
2007/2008: Arsenal 1-1 Birmingham City

2005/2006: Birmingham City 0-2 Arsenal
2005/2006: Arsenal 1-0 Birmingham City

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2010/2011 Premier League Statistics

Birmingham City

League Position: 16th
Win-Draw-Lose: 3-10-5 (Home: 3-5-1)
Form: WDDLD (Home: WDWDD)
Goal Difference: 18-21 (Home: 9-7)
Top Scorer: Craig Gardner (4)

Arsenal

League Position: 3rd
Win-Draw-Lose: 11-3-5 (Away: 5-3-2)
Form: WWLWD (Away: WWWWL)
Goal Difference: 39-22 (Away: 17-11)
Top Scorer: Samir Nasri (8)

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Team News

Birmingham City

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish doesn’t have any fresh injuries to deal with ahead of the visit of Arsenal, though the Scot may decide to unleash former Gunner Alex Hleb at some point. The Belarusian has spent most of his spell on loan with the Blues from Barcelona sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Arsenal

Arsene Wenger will once again be without centre-half Thomas Vermaelen in a week where he criticised his defence following their two goal concession away to Wigan in midweek. Abou Diaby limped off during that precise clash with a calf injury and will now miss the trip to Birmingham, however that remains Wenger’s only real concern and the Frenchman is expected to make changes following the disappointing draw with Wigan, with Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri certainties to return to the starting XI, as could Robin Van Persie.

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Match Prediction: Arsenal to WIN – 1.67 Bet365

Doubts over their defensive capabilities maybe, but we do genuinely believe Arsenal are well equipped to counter Birmingham’s anti-football style. No team in the country moves the ball around like Arsenal, only leaders Manchester United can match their scoring expertise. This Arsenal team is one crammed full of midfield ingenuity, one never shy of a bit of creativity or imagination, and it’s just as well as few are as well organised as Birmingham City.

The hosts, Birmingham, will no doubt set themselves up in their typical 4-5-1 formation, defending in numbers whenever they aren’t in possession, which will be most of the time I would imagine, but it is the fact Birmingham are useless at creating scoring opportunities from open play which swung it for us, as while their defence works industriously throughout every 90 minutes at home, they are unlikely to be put through their paces like they will on Saturday, when the league’s joint-prolific team come to town, whom have won just as many matches away from home this season – Away Record: W5 D3 L2 – and have scored more away goals than anyone else bar Man City this term.

Throw in the freshness of Arsenal’s starting XI as opposed to Birmingham’s, with the Blues having to work tirelessly just to wrestle a point out of their Tuesday night encounter with Man Utd; undeservedly so in my opinion, as opposed to Arsenal making wholesale changes for their trip to Wigan, a match they ought to have won; an Arsenal victory looks pretty tempting.

Our Recommended Punt: Both Teams to Score – 2.00 SkyBet

Match Odds:

Birmingham City – 5.50 BetFred
Draw – 4.00 VictorChandler
Arsenal – 1.67 Bet365

Birmingham City V Manchester United

Kick-off: Tuesday, 28th December – 20:00 (GMT)
Venue: St Andrews
TV Coverage: Sky Sports HD1

One of the more contrasting clashes on Tuesday sees Birmingham City entertain Manchester United inside St Andrews, where the Red Devils have won only once in their previous four league visits but find themselves needing to better a disappointing track record in Birmingham if they’re to retain top-spot in the Barclay’s Premier League table come the end of 2010.

No team are in a better position to wrestle the Premier League crown away from Chelsea’s grasp than Manchester United, and that’s a frightening statement for all of their rivals as the Red Devils have a proven track record of finishing the campaign like a steam train. Sat top of the pile by two points, with just as many games in hand over their nearest pursuer, local rivals Man City, to say United’s situation is healthy would be a massive understatement – It’s dominant. What’s more, they appear as though they’re hitting their stride with the performances gradually getting to the standard which would suggest a team in title-winning form.

Their latest signal of intent was to comprehensively beat a Sunderland side who have caused each of their title rivals problems. At Old Trafford, United were rampant as the final score of 2-0 didn’t fairly reflect the dominance Fergie’s men enjoyed. Ryan Giggs in particular was in sublime form, as was Wayne Rooney even though he still awaits his first goal from open play since March, though it was top-scorer Dimitar Berbatov who once again stole all the limelight with his brace. The Bulgarian is showing the sort of clinical finishing and composure in front of goal which forced Ferguson’s hand over two years ago, and his budding relationship with Rooney really has blossomed this season and it’s been the silky Bulgarian who has reaped the vast majority of the rewards and plaudits, taking his league tally for the term to 13 on Boxing Day.

While United’s midfielders and strikers have been catching everyone’s eye and making all the headlines, only the shrewd few, and I’m going to throw my big head into that ring, would pay homage to a defence which has been the solid foundation needed in order for the Red Devils to stand strong in a crowded market place which has become more and more unstable as the competitors around them toughen up and raise their game. No longer are injuries restricting the growth of the chemistry at the back for United, with the Van Der Vaart; Vidic, Ferdinand, Rafael and Evra set-up growing in stature and confidence with every match. Only a scruffy Christopher Samba goal has found its way past Edwin Van Der Saar in United’s last four league encounters, with their shut-out at home to Sunderland on Sunday their third in four games.

Christmas may well have passed but we’re willing to play the role of Humbug Scrooge by dashing all the hysteria around Manchester by highlighting Manchester United’s disconcerting away flaws.

A staggering nine of their ten league victories this season have come at Old Trafford, as have 27 of their 38 goals. The gulf in not only quality of performance but also the end product between their home and away matches is so huge that United, despite their incredibly strong position at the top of the table, instantly become a vulnerable outfit on the road. Only Stoke City, via two wonderful Javier Hernandez goals, have been beaten at home by Man Utd this season, only Sunderland and Man City have been denied in front of goal by United at home as well.

It all makes for unpleasant reading if you’re a United supporter, but there’s no doubt United have been racing through the gears and with confidence in the dressing room sky-high – Sir Alex was even seen joking with Berbatov after the Bulgarian was subbed late into the Boxing Day feast at Old Trafford – the league form impeccable and their star men beginning to find their rhythm, that away spark which is definitely needed in order for United to clinch their record-breaking twelfth Premier League crown may well be just around the corner.

Of course, Alex McLeish and Birmingham will have other ideas, and it isn’t as though the Blues don’t have their own immediate urgency for points.

Positioned in 17th and possibly just one more defeat away from dropping into the bottom three for the first time this season, matters haven’t just taken a serious turn for the worse at St Andrews, there’s a growing sense of desperation. Just three wins in the league thus far, just one in their previous eight, there’s a distinct lack of cohesion and continuity about the Birmingham campaign thus far – And combined with their lack of final third creativity and flair, having registered the least amount of shots on and off target in the top-flight this term, we’re already considering Birmingham for the drop.

On the positive side of things, all of Birmingham’s premium wins have come at their St Andrews, what had been a fortress until Everton spoiled everything earlier in the season. Even so, they’ve succumbed to defeat on just one occasion in twenty-three and boast a far stronger defensive record at home than they do on the road, conceding eight less.

However, the lack of goals is a massive concern especially as they aren’t creating chances. Seventeen isn’t the worst goalscoring record in the league, though it isn’t encouraging either – It’s virtually on par with the relegation occupants. Eight of those have come at St Andrews however, and the Blues have scored in each of their previous four home contests in the Premier League, so there is at least some hidden form to suggest Birmingham are capable of frustrating the mighty Reds for the second year running. Plus, they’ll be the fresher of the two after their Boxing Day clash with Everton was postponed.

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Last 5 Matches

Birmingham City

Premier League: Everton P-P Birmingham City
Premier League: Wolves 1-0 Birmingham City
Premier League: Birmingham City 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Carling Cup: Birmingham City 2-1 Aston Villa
Premier League: Fulham 1-1 Birmingham City

Manchester United

Premier League: Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland
Premier League: Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal
Premier League: Blackpool P-P Manchester United
Champions League: Manchester United 1-1 Valencia
Carling Cup: West Ham 4-0 Manchester United

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Premier League Head-to-Head (Last 10)

2009/2010: Birmingham City 1-1 Manchester United
2009/2010: Manchester United 1-0 Birmingham City

2007/2008: Manchester United 1-0 Birmingham City
2007/2008: Birmingham City 0-1 Manchester United

2005/2006: Manchester United 3-0 Birmingham City
2005/2006: Birmingham City 2-2 Manchester United

2004/2005: Manchester United 2-0 Birmingham City
2004/2005: Birmingham City 0-0 Manchester United

2003/2004: Birmingham City 1-2 Manchester United
2003/2004: Manchester United 3-0 Birmingham City

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2010/2011 Premier League Statistics

Birmingham City

League Position: 17th
Win-Draw-Lose: 3-9-5 (Home: 3-4-1)
Form: DWDDL (Home: LWDWD)
Goal Difference: 17-20 (Home: 8-6)
Top Scorer: Craig Gardner (4)

Manchester United

League Position: 1st
Win-Draw-Lose: 10-7-0 (Away: 1-6-0)
Form: DWWWW (Away: DDWDD)
Goal Difference: 38-16 (Away: 11-10)
Top Scorer: Dimitar Berbatov (13)

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Team News

Alex McLeish has confirmed that on-loan Barcelona ace Alex Hleb, who has spent the last four weeks sidelined with a hamstring injury, has returned to first-team training and that he would play some part over the festive period and New Year. James McFadden is the only definite absentee, with the Scot out with a knee injury – cruciate ligament damage – since September.

Aware of Birmingham’s Boxing Day breather, with the Blues’ clash away to Everton on Boxing Day postponed due to a burst water pipe, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson displayed his economic qualities by resting top-scorer Dimitar Berbatov, replacing the Bulgarian, who scored twice in his side’s 2-0 win at home over Sunderland, with Javier Hernandez late on. Berbatov, who hasn’t featured too prominently in United’s December schedule, for one reason or another, should now be certain of a starting berth at St Andrews.

Ryan Giggs was also handed some much needed rest bite. The Welshman played a starring role in United’s victory over the Black Cats and was substituted on the hour mark with Tuesday’s trip to Birmingham in mind, as was Brazilian midfielder Anderson, who was deputising for the ill Darren Fletcher. Paul Scholes, Owen Hargreaves and Antonio Valencia won’t feature in a United shirt until 2011.

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Match Odds:

Birmingham City – 7.00 VictorChandler
Draw – 4.00 Bet365
Manchester United – 1.57 Coral