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Friday, March 4, 2011
Birmingham v West Brom Barclays Premier League Match on March 5
Venue: St Andrew's Date: Saturday, 5 March Kick-off: 1245 GMT
Coverage: Watch live on Sky Sports 2 and highlights on Match of the Day; listen on BBC Radio 5 live and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles.
Birmingham pair Barry Ferguson and Craig Gardner are major doubts after suffering a fractured rib and dead leg respectively in the Carling Cup final.
Defender Roger Johnson was visibly struggling with a calf injury during that game but is fit again.
West Brom's Graham Dorrans suffered an ankle injury in training on Friday and is a major doubt for Saturday.
But Peter Odemwingie has recovered from an ankle injury he picked up against Stoke and should be fit.
Birmingham doubtful: Ferguson (rib), Gardner (dead leg), injured/unavailable: Dann (hamstring), McFadden (knee), Valles (foot)
West Brom doubtful: Dorrans
St Andrew's welcomes home its conquering heroes as Alex McLeish's Birmingham City side return to the field for the first time since their historic Carling Cup triumph.
But the victory parade has been put on hold until Sunday, as attention turns from celebration to relegation and a derby date with West Midlands rivals West Brom.
Both sides are scrapping for top-flight survival and will see victory in this fixture as the perfect launch pad for the relegation run-in. Successive 1-1 draws with Wolves and Stoke have kept West Brom out of the bottom three, and new boss Roy Hodgson has already brought a more solid look to a side that had shipped 51 goals in 26 league games before he took charge.
Birmingham's biggest concern is at the other end of the pitch, and McLeish may be tempted to pair a rejuvenated Nikola Zigic with Wembley hero Obafemi Martins to help transform Blues' status as the division's lowest scorers.
A win over their local rivals would add to the feelgood factor and potentially lift Blues five points clear of trouble. Then the weekend's celebrations can resume.
Head-to-head
West Brom's only win in their last five league matches against Birmingham was 3-1 at the Hawthorns earlier this season.
Eight of the nine goals West Brom have scored against Birmingham in the Premier League have come in the second half.
Birmingham:
Birmingham are the division's lowest scorers with 25 goals. According to Opta stats, they have fired in just 87 shots on target this season, fewer than any other side in the division.
Along with Blackburn's Ewood Park, St Andrew's has seen the fewest number of goals scored in the Premier League this season (28).
The Blues have lost just three of their last 29 Premier League games at St Andrew's.
Both Barry Ferguson and loanee Matt Derbyshire could make their 100th English league appearances.
West Brom:
The Baggies have drawn four of their last five Premier League matches and the last three in a row.
They have gone a club record 26 Premier League games without a clean sheet. Their only clean sheet this season came in the second game of the campaign, a 1-0 home win over Sunderland.
Roy Hodgson has won just one of his last 28 away matches as a Premier League coach.
Carlos Vela has scored in his last two games for West Brom, earning a point in each instance.