McLeish: We’ve got to believe as Brum on the brink

MANAGER Alex McLeish admits Birmingham’s Carling Cup triumph and a catalogue of injuries and suspensions may have taken its toll as his side prepare for a last-day-of-the-season relegation battle.

Birmingham are only out of the Premier League bottom three on goal difference after losing 2-0 at home to Fulham yesterday, Brede Hangeland grabbing both goals.

City have won only two of 11 games since their shock cup final win over Arsenal at Wembley.

But they have also been hit by injuries to key men and, against Fulham, four players – Lee Bowyer, Martin Jiranek, Stuart Parnaby and substitute Alexander Hleb – limped out of the action.

It meant Blues finished with 10 men and now they have to equal or better the results of Blackpool and Wigan when they visit Tottenham next Sunday to stay in the top flight.

McLeish said: “Maybe mentally since the Carling Cup final, it took its toll for a while.

“Then we picked ourselves up for while with a couple of great victories against Sunderland and Bolton back to back.

“We got a draw with Wolves with 10 men which was one of those magnificent spirited performances.

“But today we seemed short in terms of legs and presence as well.

“I think the suspensions and injuries has caught up with us a wee bit today.

“But once we lick our wounds over the next couple of days, we will be bang at it. We’ve got to believe and I’ve been in situations before where it’s looked impossible and it’s worked and happened for us.”

Blues were again guilty of conceding sloppy goals but also looked devoid of inspiration.

McLeish said: “We were second best. Fulham were the better team and I’m disappointed we lost goals at set-pieces the way we did.

“They were two soft goals again really.

“You can say the first goal we conceded smacked of nerves but I didn’t think they were nervous in the dressing room beforehand.”

McLeish added: “It is a tough task for us to go to Spurs and win but we’ve done it before.

“The evidence is there it can be done and it is about picking ourselves up and getting off the floor because that dressing room is hurting in there.

“They know that today was not one of their best performances and they also know we now face a battle to retain Premier League status.”

Fulham boss Mark Hughes would have expected a response from his side after the 5-2 home defeat by Liverpool on Monday. But he could not have imagined his players having such a stroll to victory.

The Blues defence was at sixes and sevens and could not cope with Bobby Zamora, Andy Johnson and Clint Dempsey.

They were not allowed to settle in midfield and posed the minimum of threat up front without the injured Cameron Jerome.

Blues looked nervous and Ben Foster had to parry aside a massive clearance from Mark Schwarzer at full stretch.

But from the resulting corner Brede Hangeland put the Cottagers in front.

The Birmingham defence was undone by Greening’s corner and the unmarked Hangeland made no mistake from close range.

Blues were back-pedalling from the start of the second period and Zamora missed two great chances before Hangeland made it 2-0 after 49 minutes.