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 1st leg hosted on September 18, at The Hawthorns, by West Brom, having ended in a three-1 victory to the hosts. Birmingham drew initial blood when Jerome's strike put them ahead on 15 minutes. The aim transpired when Dann latched onto a long free of charge-kick from Larsson to head it for Jerome to do the rest, from point blank range. Thereafter, the 1st half was marked by various 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 following 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 goal. Eight minutes later, they took the lead through Odemwingie, and when Olsson scored Albion's third nine minutes immediately after the hour, it was all over for Birmingham.

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

Head to head, Birmingham have established a 9-6 advantage over Albion in the final 20 league games in between the sides, with the remaining 5 games drawn.

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

In their newest game, Birmingham are coming off a 2- loss at house to Newcastle, 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 property advantage.

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 beginning eleven against Stoke comprised: Carson, Reid, Meite, Olsson, Shorey, Brunt, Scharner, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Thomas, and Fortune. Vela, Tchoyi and Odemwingie had been used as substitutes.