McFadden on the Birmingham bench

Birmingham’s new £5m signing James McFadden has to be content with a place on the bench for today's Premier League clash with Chelsea.

City manager Alex McLeish keeps faith with the side which had earned a creditable 1-1 draw with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium last weekend.

Chelsea manager Avram Grant has made just the one alteration from the side which overcame Tottenham 2-0, with £15m signing Nicolas Anelka given his full debut.

He comes into the starting line-up at the expense of Claudio Pizarro, who is relegated to the bench.

Birmingham: Maik Taylor, Kelly, Schmitz, Ridgewell, Queudrue, Larsson, Muamba, Johnson, Kapo, O’Connor, Jerome.

Subs: Doyle, Forssell, McSheffrey, McFadden, Parnaby.

Chelsea: Cech, Belletti, Alex, Carvalho, Ashley Cole, Wright-Phillips, Makelele, Ballack, Joe Cole, Anelka, Malouda.

Subs: Cudicini, Sidwell, Pizarro, Bridge, Ben-Haim.

Referee: Rob Styles.