Matthew Upson is available for the Premiership derby at Aston Villa but Birmingham boss Steve Bruce must decide whether to give an instant recall to the former Arsenal defender.

Birmingham boss Steve Bruce will have Matthew Upson, Muzzy Izzet, David Dunn and Chris Sutton available after lengthy injury lay-offs for the Barclays Premiership clash at Wigan.

Birmingham midfielder Muzzy Izzet is poised to return to action after injury in tomorrow’s vital Barclays Premiership meeting with West Brom at St Andrews.

Birmingham’s survival hopes have been dealt a blow with the key trio of Damien Johnson, Chris Sutton and Muzzy Izzet set to miss the Premiership battles with Middlesbrough and West Brom through injury.

Birmingham are facing a central defensive injury crisis ahead of Saturday’s vital Premiership meeting with Mick McCarthy’s Sunderland at St Andrews.

Jose Mourinho took the gamble of resting eight available first-teamers for Chelsea’s FA Cup fifth-round tie against Coca-Cola League One high-flyers Colchester.

Birmingham 0 Arsenal 2

David Dunn’s injury nightmare continues with the Birmingham midfielder out for a minimum of three weeks with the calf injury suffered against Liverpool in midweek.

Birmingham are without central defenders Matthew Upson, Martin Taylor and Kenny Cunningham for tomorrow’s FA Cup fourth round tie at Reading.

Birmingham 5 Portsmouth 0

Bolton v Man City

Birmingham skipper and central defender Kenny Cunningham is poised to return for the the vital Premiership basement battle at St Andrews.

Chris Sutton made his debut for struggling Birmingham in today’s Barclays Premiership clash at Charlton.

Birmingham will give a debut to striker Chris Sutton in the Premiership match at Charlton, as Steve Bruce has virtually a full squad at his disposal for the first time this season.

Chris Sutton’s debut for Birmingham has been put on ice for a week after his free transfer move from Celtic until the end of the season.

Birmingham City 2 Wigan Athletic 0

Teams for today's 3pm Premiership kick-offs.

Birmingham will have to make at least two changes from the side which earned a creditable 2-2 draw with Manchester United for the trip to Stamford Bridge.

Spurs 2 Birmingham 0

Tottenham 2 Birmingham 0

Turkey international Muzzy Izzet returns from a hamstring injury as beleaguered Birmingham manager Steve Bruce makes five changes for his side’s Boxing Day clash at Tottenham.

Birmingham are without right-back Mario Melchiot (thigh) and midfielder Muzzy Izzet (hamstring) for the clash with Fulham at St Andrew’s.

Birmingham 1 West Ham 2

Birmingham striker Emile Heskey is battling to be fit for Monday’s Premiership clash against West Ham at St Andrews.

Birmingham boss Steve Bruce has to decide whether to risk playing fit again playmaker David Dunn for the second time in 72 hours against Millwall at the New Den.

Sunderland 0 Birmingham 1

Birmingham goalkeeper Maik Taylor and skipper Kenny Cunningham could miss the bottom-of-the-table Barclays Premiership clash at Sunderland.

Birmingham’s lengthy injury list is finally starting to recede with five players back in contention for the visit of Bolton in the Barclays Premiership on Monday.

Newcastle skipper Alan Shearer returned to the starting line-up for this afternoon’s clash with Birmingham after being rested last weekend.

Steve Bruce has admitted he may look for support from the Birmingham board for a January spending spree because of the club’s crippling injury list.

Birmingham manager Steve Bruce claims he is coping with the ever-increasing pressure to survive and succeed in the Barclays Premiership because of the financial implications.

Birmingham boss Steve Bruce is keeping his fingers crossed he can unleash talisman Emile Heskey on Portsmouth at Fratton Park tomorrow.

Charlton boss Alan Curbishley marked his 600th league game in charge of the Addicks by naming an unchanged side for the visit to St Andrews.

Birmingham manager Steve Bruce is likely to field an unchanged side for the visit of unbeaten Charlton Athletic on Saturday.

Steve Bruce has launched a stinging attack on his critics and predicted Birmingham will climb the Premiership table once he has a fully fit squad at his disposal.

Emile Heskey will return to the Birmingham attack for the derby with West Brom at The Hawthorns.

Luis Boa Morte was unveiled as Fulham’s new club captain before today’s Barclays Premiership clash with Birmingham at Craven Cottage.

Birmingham striker Walter Pandiani – signed from Deportivo La Coruna after a loan spell last season – is set to get the nod ahead of Mikael Forssell to partner Emile Heskey in tomorrow’s Barclays Premiership opener at Craven Cottage.

Birmingham manager Steve Bruce believes it is important for Muzzy Izzet to return to action before the end of the season “for his own peace of mind”.

Muzzy Izzet is optimistic that his injury nightmare is coming to an end and the Birmingham midfielder has his sights on a return to action before the end of the season.

Steve Bruce has admitted that he will have to adopt a softly softly approach with veteran Birmingham winger Stan Lazaridis after an injury-plagued season.

Birmingham manager Steve Bruce has admitted there is “light at the end of the tunnel” in terms of the fitness of midfielder Muzzy Izzet.

Birmingham midfielder Muzzy Izzet is to have a scan to try to discover the root of the knee problem which has dogged him for months.