Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is expected to hand a debut to new signing Craig Gardner as his side look to continue their impressive recent form at the expense of Midlands rivals Wolves. The Blues have lost just once in their last 17 games in stark contrast to their opponents, who are seeking their first win in six Premier League matches and are eager to bounce back after their humiliating FA Cup defeat at Crystal Palace in midweek.

Quick Check

Birmingham City

  • Craig Gardner is in line for his debut after moving from Aston Villa last month.
  • Birmingham have lost just one of their last 17 games.
  • The Blues are unbeaten at St Andrew’s since the start of October.
  • Striker Cameron Jerome has scored four goals in his last six Premier League matches.
  • Spanish midfielder Michel is hoping to make his full debut after his £3 million move from Sporting Gijon.
  • Lee Bowyer scored the only goal when the two teams met earlier in the season.
  • Striker Kevin Phillips is struggling to overcome a groin strain.
  • Defender Stuart Parnaby is still sidelined by a back problem.
  • Midfielder Lee Carsley will be out for another three months with ankle ligament damage.
  • Striker Garry O’Connor is out for at least another month after complications arising from groin surgery.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

  • Belgian international Geoffrey Mujangi Bia is hoping to make his full debut.
  • Matt Jarvis is hoping to recover from a calf problem.
  • Wolves have not won in their last five league games.
  • Midfielder Dave Edwards is out until the end of the month with a hamstring injury.
  • Striker Stefan Maierhofer is facing an injury lay-off after exploratory surgery.
  • Winger Michael Kightly is out for another fortnight with an ankle problem.
  • Striker Andy Keogh is sidelined until next month with ankle ligament damage.
  • The Premier League strugglers haven’t beaten Birmingham in their last eight meetings.
  • Wolves have scored only ten goals in 11 league away games from this season.
  • Mick McCarthy’s team are the joint lowest scorers in the Premier League this season with 19 goals.
  • Wolves lost 3-1 at Crystal Palace in the FA Cup in midweek.

Expert Advice

Birmingham may not be playing as well as they were a month ago but Alex McLeish’s side should still have more than enough to see off their opponents at St Andrew’s. The Blues are still not scoring as freely as their manager would like but their attack of Jerome and Benitez is likely to cause plenty of problems for the visitors at the back while they remain one of the hardest teams to break down in defence. Wolves boss Mick McCarthy will be demanding a considerable improvement on the performance against Crystal Palace in midweek and the prospect of a Midlands derby should motivate them further. But McCarthy’s men sre still struggling to score goals away from home, so Betsson’s odds of 3.5 for a home win by one goal looks a sound bet.

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