Premier League Preview: Birmingham Vs West Brom

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Premier league match time returns to St Andrews' Ground when Birmingham host West Brom in match week 28, on Saturday, March five, 2011.

This is a second leg game, with the initial leg hosted on September 18, at The Hawthorns, by West Brom, getting ended in a 3-1 victory to the hosts. Birmingham drew first blood when Jerome's strike put them ahead on 15 minutes. The objective transpired when Dann latched onto a lengthy absolutely free-kick from Larsson to head it for Jerome to do the rest, from point blank range. Thereafter, the 1st half was marked by quite a few missed chances by West Brom, with Thomas, Odemwingie, Scharner and Tamas all guilty of scuffing scoring opportunities.

The sides went into the interval with the visitors leading 1-. But Albion appeared to wake up soon after the break, when an own aim by Dann on 51 minutes brought them level at 1-1. The replacement of Fortune by Dorrans paid immediate dividend for Albion when Dorrans pass to Thomas set off a chain of events culminating in Odemwingie's back-heeled shot deflecting off Dann into the Birmingham aim. Eight minutes later, they took the lead through Odemwingie, and when Olsson scored Albion's third nine minutes right after the hour, it was all over for Birmingham.

This was West Brom's second come-from-behind fightback in as a lot of weeks, following a draw against Tottenham, on the previous occasion.

Head to head, Birmingham have established a 9-6 benefit over Albion in the last 20 league games between the sides, with the remaining five games drawn.

Of their last 10 league games, Birmingham have won 3 and lost 4 even though having drawn the remaining four West Brom have won just 1 of their last 10, although getting lost 6 and drawn 3. In 14 household games, this season, Birmingham have registered 4 wins, three losses and 7 draws. In 14 games on the road, Albion have ended on the winning side on two occasions, when having lost 9 and drawn three.

In their most recent game, Birmingham are coming off a 2- loss at residence to Newcastle, even though West Brom are fresh off a 1-1 draw away at Stoke.

On existing form, Birmingham have a slight edge on the back of dwelling benefit.

Birmingham ad the following players in their starting eleven against Newcastle: Foster, Carr, Johnson, Jirnaek, Ridgewell, Larsson, Fergusson, Gardner, Bentley, Martins and Zigic. Murphy, Phillips and Jerome featured as substitutes.

Wes Brom's starting eleven against Stoke comprised: Carson, Reid, Meite, Olsson, Shorey, Brunt, Scharner, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Thomas, and Fortune. Vela, Tchoyi and Odemwingie were used as substitutes.