Blues Travel To Arsenal

Birmingham need to get back to winning ways before they slip any further down the table, but a victories at Arsenal are very few and far between.

But other clubs have been there this season and pulled off a shock, so why not Blues?

Alex McLeish, official site

'When West Brom won there recently, Arsenal had an off day and West Brom had a brilliant day and that needs to happen when you go to one of the big clubs.

'But suffice to say we want to make sure we leave the Emirates knowing we worked extremely hard, that the concentration levels were great and we gave Arsenal some problems.

'It will tactically be a European game in many ways.

'We have got some plans in mind and we will look to the players to carry out the tactics.'

Cameron Jerome is doubtful for the clash with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium tomorrow.

Jerome suffered an ankle injury during training and, although it is not serious, it could keep him out of the encounter with Arsene Wenger's side.

Nikola Zigic could make his first league start for City since his £6 million summer move from Valencia if Jerome is unfit while former
Arsenal midfielder Alexander Hleb has recovered from the ankle knock which kept him out of Belarus' Euro 2012 qualifiers with Luxembourg and Albania but his midfield colleague Craig Gardner is again ruled out as he serves the second game of a three-match ban for his red card against Wigan.

Team (from): Foster, Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Larsson, Bowyer, Ferguson, Hleb, Fahey, Jerome, Zigic, Taylor, Parnaby, Murphy, Jiranek, Michel, Valles, Phillips, Derbyshire, O'Connor.

Will have to be on top form to keep out Arsenal.

Arsenal welcome back strikers Nicklas Bendtner (groin) and Theo Walcott (ankle) from injury but will still be without captain Cesc Fabregas (hamstring).

Centre-half Laurent Koscielny (back) misses out, as does full-back defender Bacary Sagna who suffered a thigh problem while away with France, but England Under-21s full-back Kieran Gibbs returns from his calf injury.

Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia (elbow), centre-back Thomas Vermaelen (Achilles), Aaron Ramsey (leg) and Robin van Persie (ankle) are still out.

Team (from): Fabianski, Eboue, Djourou, Squillaci, Clichy, Nasri, Song, Wilshere, Rosicky, Arshavin, Chamakh, Szczesny, Denilson, Diaby, Gibbs, Lansbury, Vela, Walcott, Bendtner.

Sneaky little git, can create a goal out of nothing.

The Gunners have scored 18 goals in their four matches at the Emirates this season.

Arsenal have only kept two clean sheets in their 10 matches in all competitions this season.

Birmingham have lost six and won none of their last eight Premier League away matches.

Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 25 home league games against Birmingham (W17, D8).

Birmingham have scored just 10 goals in those matches - and only two in their last seven visits.

The Gunners have kept only two clean sheets in 10 league and cup games this season (6-0 wins against Blackpool and Braga).

Arsenal are hoping to avoid a third successive Premier League defeat. The last time they lost three on the trot was in 2007, when they were beaten by Everton, Liverpool and West Ham.

2-0 to Arsenal, hope its no worse

23/10 H: Blackpool
31/10 A: Aston Villa
6/11 H: West Ham United
9/11 A: Stoke City

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