Liverpool vs Birmingham - Full Match Preview

Blues are on the back of home defeats to Fulham and Crystal Palace, while Liverpool are unbeaten at home all season and their last game was a 1-0 win in Deportivo in the Champions League.

Blues will be hoping the Liverpool players are tired after their long trip to Spain in midweek and that some players will underestimate the boys in royal blue. Under Rafael Benitez there are signs that Liverpool may be turning around their fortunes and once again challenging the top three for those vital Champions League spots.

In the summer Benitez bought in Xabi Alonso, Luis Garcia and Josemi as he attempted to get some of his own ideas and players into a Liverpool team that had become very average under Gerard Houlier. To fund his summer spree though Benitez had to sell three players who had been influential throughout their time at Anfield. Michael Owen was sold on to Real Madrid, Danny Murphy went to Charlton, and a certain Emile Heskey arrived at St Andrews.

And Heskey will be a man with a point to prove tommorow. After Andy Johnson came back to his old stamping ground last week to get his new team the three points, Heskey will be hoping he can achieve a similar feat. It is expected that the England man will be the lone striker again for Blues with Muzzy Izzet and Jesper Gronkjaer operating just off the front. This will hopefully be the system that sees blues first goal in four games. Gronkjaer especially is relishing the opportunity of playing at Anfield.

"We are not scoring at the moment or getting the results that we expected but hopefully we can kick-off our season against Liverpool."

"We know it is going to be a really hard test. Anfield is a difficult place to go and it is a fantastic stadium."

David Dunn has not shaken off a cut to his achilles so he will be missing from the blues squad along with long term absentees Mikael Forssell and Clinton Morrison. Muzzy Izzet is set to return after a five week lay off and could replace Damien Johnson or Robbie Savage in the centre of midfield. Yorke could be dropped after a disapointing last few games and Stephen Clemence or Darren Anderton could return to make a five man midfield for blues.

Liverpool are also facing a slight striker injury crisis at the club which has been worsened by Milan Baros, who is rated at 50/50 due to a hamstring injury. French striker Florent Sinama-Pongolle is expected to be fit even though he is carrying a slight injury. Harry Kewell will face a late fitness test after picking up a knock in Spain and Steven Gerrard is still expected to be out for a number of weeks.

Expected line ups:

Blues:
Taylor, Melchiot, Cunningham, Upson, Lazaridis, Gronkjaer, Savage, Izzet, Clemence, Gray, Heskey.

Man U:
Kirkland, Josemi, Carragher, Hyppia, Traore, Garcia, Alonso, Hamann, Riise, Biscan, Pongolle.

Interesting Stats:

• Blues last beat Liverpool at Anfield in 1978.
• There hasn't been a goalless draw in this fixture since April 1931.
• Emile Heskey faces his former club.
• A win would put blues points tally under Steve Bruce to exactly 150 points.
• Steve Finnan could face his former club.
  

Latest Odds:

BNO Top Tip:

My head says Blues wont win at Anfield. Liverpool are too good. But my heart says we might steal a point or three if we can keep a clean sheet against Liverpool's weakened attack. A 1-0 at 12/1 is good value for blues while a 2-0 score at 33/1 is very good odds if your feeling confident that blues can score two away from home and win. As for a goal scorer I think Gronkjaer is a good bet at 16/1. He does get a shot in when he gets the opportunity and has been unlucky a few times in the past couple of games so is due a goal.

Blues to win 1-0 and Jesper Gronkjaer to score the 1st goal - 66/1 (Odds taken from Sportingodds.Com)