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.

Wigan 1 Birmingham 1

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 1 Bolton 0

Birmingham regained their pride and picked up a precious point in their bid to stay in the Barclays Premiership against the champions elect at St Andrews.

Birmingham: Maik Taylor, Tebily, Cunningham, Martin Taylor, Sadler, Pennant, Clemence, Butt, Johnson, Heskey, Campbell. Subs: Vaesen, Latka, Forssell, Lazaridis, Kilkenny.

MANCHESTER UNITED sauntered to a deserved win over Birmingham at an expanded Old Trafford, and Alex Ferguson admitted it was agony.

Mohamed Sissoko was back in the Liverpool starting line-up to face Birmingham just a month after the eye injury against Benfica which had left him blind for 36 hours.

Birmingham striker Emile Heskey and midfielder Nicky Butt are major fitness doubts for Tuesday’s FA Cup tie with Liverpool at Anfield.

Middlesbrough striker Mark Viduka was handed his first start for a month with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink out with a virus.

Birmingham will have striker Emile Heskey and midfielder Damien Johnson back available after suspension for the trip to face Stoke on Sunday.

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.

Teams for tonight's Premiership clashes.

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

All the teams for today's early kick-offs in the Premiership.

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.

Tonight's Premiership teams

Striker Mikael Forssell returns to the Birmingham squad for the Barclays Premiership clash with Manchester City after a month out with a thigh injury.

Birmingham manager Steve Bruce made five changes – three of them enforced - for the crucial Premiership clash with Fulham at St Andrews.

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

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.

Steve Bruce has set Birmingham a demanding Christmas target of reaching 20 points in their battle to cling on to their Premiership status.

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

Birmingham boss Steve Bruce faces a midfield injury crisis for tomorrow’s clash with Newcastle at St James’ Park.

Birmingham manager Steve Bruce made two changes for the vital relegation clash with Everton at St Andrews.

Birmingham have a doubt over striker Emile Heskey for tomorrow’s Barclays Premiership clash at St Andrew’s against fellow strugglers Everton.

Teams for today's Premiership tie between Blackburn and Birmingham.

Birmingham have doubts over midfielders David Dunn and Jiri Jarosik for the trip to Bolton.

Birmingham 0 Aston Villa 1

Arsenal: Lehmann, Lauren, Toure, Campbell, Cole, Hleb, Fabregas, Silva, Pires, Ljungberg, Reyes. Subs: Bergkamp, Van Persie, Flamini, Cygan, Almunia.

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

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 2 Arsenal 1

Birmingham City have opened talks with defender Olivier Tebily and midfielder Stephen Clemence over extending their stay at St Andrews.

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.

West Bromwich Albion 2 Birmingham 0

West Bromwich Albion 2 Birmingham 0

Former Birmingham striker Geoff Horsfield was restored to the West Brom starting line-up for the derby clash at The Hawthorns.

Birmingham manager Steve Bruce made three changes from the side beaten at Manchester United for the visit of Rafael Benitez’s side.

Teams for this afternoon's 3pm kick-offs.

Tonight's Premiership team news.

Chelsea 2 Birmingham 0

Martin Taylor is poised for his first start since August as Birmingham look to end a run of three successive Premiership defeats.