Fulham trio miss out

Fulham are still without three key men as they bid to transfer their fine European form to the Premiership when they take on Birmingham at St Andrews on Sunday.

Jean Tigana’s men romped into the third round of the UEFA Cup with last night’s 2-1 home victory against Dinamo Zagreb, wrapping up a 5-1 aggregate triumph.

But in the league, the Cottagers have lost four games on the spin and are just five points above the relegation zone.

Striker Barry Hayles, given seven days’ rest to help relieve the pain in his neck vertebrae, finds out next week if he will be sidelined for a month with the problem.

Louis Saha is out until at least mid-January after last week’s operation on the hamstring injury which has sidelined him since September.

Sean Davis, recovering from a fractured toe, will try kicking a ball again next week.

PROVISIONAL SQUAD: Van der Sar, Finnan, Ouaddou, Knight, Melville, Goma, Brevett, Wome, Clark, Goldbaek, Inamoto, Legwinski, Boa Morte, Djetou, Taylor, Malbranque.