TOP 100 SOCCER SITES
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| Birmingham City v Chelsea Can the Premier League leaders upset the form book and win at St Andrew's? Not the question that most people would have imagined being asked ahead of this fixture but arguably a fair one on the back of recent results. Alex McLeish will name an unchanged side for the seventh successive match as Birmingham seek to stretch their unbeaten run to 10 games against a Chelsea side that have won only one of their last six. "At St Andrew's we believe we have a good chance of beating anybody," said the Birmingham manager. Stuart JamesVenue St Andrew'sTickets £23 (0844 557 1875)Last season n/aReferee P WaltonThis season's matches 11 Y25, R1, 2.36 cards per gamesportingbet odds Birmingham 23-4 Chelsea 9-20 Draw 14-5BirminghamSubs from Maik Taylor, Fahey, McSheffrey, Queudrue, O'Shea, Carsley, Vignal, Phillips, Espinoza, D Johnson, Martin Taylor, ParnabyDoubtful Parnaby (back), Martin Taylor (ankle)Injured Murphy (knee, 10 Jan), Tainio (knee, Feb), O'Connor (hip, Mar)Suspended NoneForm guide DWWWWWDisciplinary record Y31 R1Leading scorer Bowyer 5ChelseaSubs from Turnbull, Hilário, Bruma, Carvalho, Zhirkov, Malouda, Matic, Hutchinson, Belletti, Ferreira, Kalou, Borini, KakutaDoubtful Alex (groin)Injured Anelka (hamstring, 3 Jan), Deco (thigh, 3 Jan), Essien (hamstring, 10 Jan), Bosingwa (knee, Feb)Suspended NoneForm guide DWDLWWDisciplinary record Y25 R1Leading scorer Drogba 13Match pointers• Birmingham have not beaten Chelsea in any competition since March 1980, a run of four draws and 11 defeats• Florent Malouda has scored Chelsea's earliest (4min 21sec) and latest (93min 33sec) league goal this season• If selected, Lee Bowyer will be making his 350th Premier League appearance• Chelsea have recouped 11 points from losing positions this season, more than any other team• Birmingham have won three of the five Premier League matches they have played on Boxing DayBirmingham CityChelseaPremier Leagueguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Manchester United's 'war machine' has slowed down, says Fabio Capello England manager Fabio Capello says Manchester United are no longer the "war machine" that dominated English football. telegraph.co.uk |
Arsene Wenger: Everton draw a point gained for Arsenal Arsene Wenger accepts Arsenal lacked cutting edge against Everton, but believes 2-2 draw was point gained at Emirates. telegraph.co.uk |
Blackburn Rovers v Aston Villa - live! Bash refresh or utilise our auto-refesher for the latest updates and send your musings to rob.bagchi@guardian.co.ukRob will be here with all the action from 7.30pm. In the meantime, here's Andy Hunter's preview:Sam Allardyce has denied tomorrow's Carling Cup semi-final against Aston Villa will influence his future as Blackburn Rovers manager as he attempts to arrest an alarming run of form.Blackburn have not won since beating Chelsea in the Carling Cup quarter-finals on penalties last month, a sequence of eight matches in all competitions, and their current league record stands at nine games without a victory.Monday's anaemic display at Manchester City, which resulted in a 4-1 defeat, prompted an angry exchange at Eastlands between Allardyce and senior players and there has been growing unrest among supporters at the tactics the manager has employed since his return from heart surgery.Blackburn have so far sold only around 11,500 tickets for the rearranged semi-final at Ewood Park although, with more than 5,000 Villa fans expected, the club are hopeful of a crowd in excess of 20,000 for the first leg. But Allardyce is adamant his position is not under threat only 13 months after he replaced Paul Ince, before ensuring Rovers' Premier League survival."You are always going to get rumours in the Premier League. Never a day goes by without a positive or a negative story," he said. "You are bound to get some negative scenarios going around when you have not won in a while. You just get on with your job and that is what I will do. I have no great concerns at all."Article continues here ...Carling CupBlackburn RoversAston VillaRob Bagchiguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Bolton sign Weiss from City Bolton Wanderers have announced midfielder Vladimir Weiss will join them on loan from Barclays Premier League rivals Manchester City until the end of the season. foxsports.com.au |