Pennant in for Birmingham

Jermaine Pennant was included in the Birmingham starting line-up for the visit of Tottenham – just two days after being released from prison.

The on-loan Arsenal winger served four weeks of a three-month sentence for drink-driving offences.

Pennant will be electronically tagged for the next fortnight but the Premier League ruled that he would be able to play while wearing the device on his ankle.

Blues manager Steve Bruce decided the 22-year-old was sufficiently fit to be brought straight back into the side.

Pennant replaced the injured Stephen Clemence in the only change from the side which defeated Aston Villa and received a large round of applause from the Birmingham fans as he came out for the pre-match warm-up.

Tottenham head coach Martin Jol decided to include striker Fredi Kanoute in their starting line-up despite him being the subject of death threats when playing in a World Cup qualifier with Mali earlier this week.

But Thimothee Atouba was absent as he started a three-match ban for elbowing Manchester City’s Joey Barton.

Birmingham: Maik Taylor, Melchiot, Cunningham, Upson, Clapham, Pennant, Johnson, Carter, Lazaridis, Pandiani, Heskey. Subs: Blake, Vaesen, Morrison, Gray, Nafti.

Tottenham: Robinson, Pamarot, King, Naybet, Edman, Reid, Carrick, Brown, Ziegler, Kanoute, Defoe. Subs: Davis, Keane, Mido, Kelly, Cerny.

Referee: H Webb (S Yorkshire)