Birmingham will give late fitness tests to right-back Stephen Kelly and midfielder Mehdi Nafti before finalising the team for tomorrow’s crucial showdown with relegation rivals Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Birmingham 2 Liverpool 2

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish made three changes from the side thrashed 5-1 by Aston Villa for the home clash with Liverpool.

Birmingham midfielder Sebastian Larsson is poised to return to action for the Barclays Premier League clash with Liverpool at St Andrews tomorrow.

MARTIN O’NEILL raised more than a few eyebrows when he purchased Ashley Young for £9 million (€11.4m) just over a year ago, but the doubters have suddenly fallen silent.

Birmingham City will give late fitness tests to striker James McFadden and midfielder Sebastian Larsson before manager Alex McLeish finalises his side for Sunday’s derby at Aston Villa.

Birmingham midfielder Sebastian Larsson will undergo a scan in the next 24 hours to determine the extent of his latest medial knee ligament injury.

Birmingham 1 Everton 1

Birmingham defenders Franck Queudrue and Liam Ridgewell are available after suspension for the home Barclays Premier League clash with Everton tomorrow.

STEVE BRUCE is as good as certain to be a Premier League manager again next season. His former employers should take note of that, for he might yet achieve it at their expense, and the final cost could run to millions of pounds.

Birmingham defender Franck Queudrue has joined Liam Ridgewell in being suspended for tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League clash with Wigan at the JJB Stadium.

Birmingham 3 Manchester City 1

Franck Queudrue has been handed his first Birmingham start for two months in today's home Premier League clash with Manchester City.

Birmingham defender Liam Ridgewell will be unavailable for the home Barclays Premier League clash with Manchester City as he begins a two-game suspension.

READING’S defenders can sleep again. Marcus Hahnemann, the club’s colourful American goalkeeper, has been alarmed at his team’s slide towards the bottom three this season and has not been shy in venting his frustration at his team-mates.

Reading 2 Birmingham 1

Birmingham midfielder Sebastian Larsson is winning his battle to be fit for the Barclays Premier League bottom-six clash at Reading.

Birmingham 1 Newcastle 1

Birmingham defender Martin Taylor will serve the third game of a three-match ban for his sending off against Arsenal for the visit of Newcastle on Monday.

TWO goals from Jermain Defoe and further efforts from Hermann Hreidarsson and Kanu enabled FA Cup semi-finalists Portsmouth to sink struggling Birmingham in the Barclays Premier League last night.

Portsmouth 4 Birmingham 2

Birmingham striker Mikael Forssell is hoping his future can be resolved before the end of the season.

MIKAEL Forssell’s first hat-trick in English football undoubtedly owed a debt to Tottenham’s party hangover, but that didn’t curtail his own celebrations after the most memorable afternoon of his career.

Birmingham 4 Tottenham 1

Birmingham will be without central defender Martin Taylor who will begin a three-game ban for his red card against Arsenal in the incident where Eduardo suffered a broken leg.

ALAN CURBISHLEY has warned Dean Ashton he must remain patient as he looks to force his way back into the England squad.

West Ham 1 Birmingham 1

Birmingham’s chief creative force Olivier Kapo will miss the trip to West Ham through suspension after picking up his fifth booking of the campaign against Sunderland 11 days ago.

DAMIEN JOHNSON has admitted Birmingham must “learn to close out games” if they are to win their battle to stay in the Premier League.

Defender David Murphy is part of the Birmingham squad for the first time since his £1.5m move from Hibernian a fortnight ago.

James McFadden is poised to make his full debut for Birmingham in the Barclays Premier League clash with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light tomorrow night.

Birmingham’s new £5m signing James McFadden has to be content with a place on the bench for today's Premier League clash with Chelsea.

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish must decide whether to give a debut to full-back David Murphy after his £1.5m move from Hibernian.

ANDY RITCHIE might not be the ideal person to ask when it comes to discussing the romance of the FA Cup, not least because the Huddersfield Town manager’s heart was broken by it no less than four times during his playing career.

Manchester United 1 Birmingham 0

Birmingham skipper Damien Johnson is a fitness doubt for the Barclays Premier League clash at Old Trafford on New Year’s Day.

MIKAEL FORSSELL has backed his former international boss Roy Hodgson to keep Fulham in the Premier League.

Birmingham 1 Fulham 1

ALEX MCLEISH was in a bullish mood after watching Birmingham beat Middlesbrough 3-0 at St Andrews to chalk up their biggest win of the season.

Birmingham are boosted by the return of skipper Liam Ridgewell for the St Stephen's clash with Middlesbrough at St Andrew’s.

BIRMINGHAM manager Alex McLeish has warned his players they will pay with their places if they do not learn from Saturday’s error-strewn display at Bolton.

Birmingham will be without Liam Ridgewell for the trip to Bolton with the central defender having to serve a one-match ban for incurring five bookings this season.

ALEX MCLEISH believes Mikael Forssell will play a decisive role in Birmingham’s bid to stay in the Premier League — if he can remain fit.

Birmingham 1 Reading 1