Birmingham v Bolton

Barclays Premier League
Venue: St Andrew’s Date: Saturday, 2 April Kick-off: 1500 BST
Coverage: Watch highlights on Match of the Day; listen on BBC Radio 5 live and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles

TEAM NEWS

Birmingham could welcome back top scorer Nikola Zigic and Lee Bowyer after they overcame groin and hamstring injuries respectively.

Martin Jiranek is doubtful after toe surgery, but Alexander Hleb may feature following an injection in his knee.

Bolton midfielder Stuart Holden is out for the rest of the season after damaging cruciate knee ligaments.

Mark Davies is a major doubt so Fabrice Muamba and Tamir Cohen are expected to fill the vacant midfield berths.

Birmingham

Doubtful: Hleb (knee), Jiranek (toe)

Injured: Dann (hamstring), McFadden (knee), Valles (foot)

Bolton

Doubtful: M Davies (ankle)

Injured: S Davis & Knight (both knee), Gardner (thigh), Ricketts (Achilles)

MATCH PREVIEW

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish used the international break to give his players not involved for their country a full week off to recharge their weary batteries.

It has been a tough schedule but I am not going to use that as an excuse. I honestly don’t believe that tiredness comes into it. This is what you do as a football player Barry Ferguson, Birmingham midfielder

The former Scotland boss has seen his jaded Blues squad begin 2011 with 18 highly-charged matches in the space of 78 days. February’s League Cup success at Wembley now seems a long time ago – City are yet to win a game since, and have slipped back into the relegation zone.

FA Cup semi-finalists Bolton will not feel unduly worried about a trip to St Andrew’s. The Trotters knocked Birmingham out of the FA Cup at the quarter-final stage just three weeks ago in front of the City faithful.

Owen Coyle’s men may only be eight points above the relegation zone, but they still harbour hopes of a first top-ten finish since 2007. The club have already beaten last season’s total of 39 points, which was good enough for a 14th place finish last May. And barring an end of season collapse, Bolton will celebrate a decade as a Premier League club next month.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• The two clubs have met 13 times in the Premier League. Bolton have recorded six wins compared to Birmingham’s five.

• Bolton are unbeaten in each of their last four league encounters against the Blues. They won 2-1 at St Andrew’s on their most recent Premier League visit in September 2009.

• August’s reverse fixture finished in a 2-2 draw. Ten-man Bolton trailed 2-0 and had Jussi Jaaskelainen sent off but still managed to rescue a point thanks to a Kevin Davies penalty and a late Robbie Blake strike.

Birmingham

• The Blues have won two of their last nine league games and scored only 14 goals in their last 17 top-flight matches.

• Birmingham have won 19 Premier League games since their promotion in 2009. All but one of those victories have been by a one-goal margin.

• The Blues have won just four of 15 home games this season – the equal-fewest in the Premier League along with Blackpool, Newcastle and Wigan.

• City’s next goal will be their 100th in the Premier League under Alex McLeish.

Bolton

• Owen Coyle’s men are yet to lose against a side in the bottom half of the table this season.

• The Trotters are unbeaten in seven Premier League encounters against clubs from the Midlands this campaign (W4, D3).

• Wanderers have lost seven of their last eight Premier League away matches.

• If selected, Jussi Jaaskelainen will be making his 450th league appearance for Bolton.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Birmingham

Zigic: 8 goals (5 league); Gardner: 7 goals (5 league)

Bolton

Elmander: 11 goals (9 league); K Davies: 9 goals (7 league); Sturridge: 8 goals* (4 league)

* Sturridge scored 4 goals (0 league) for Chelsea

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Michael Oliver

Assistant referees: Stuart Burt & Mick McDonough

Fourth official: Howard Webb

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Birmingham (L1-2 v Wigan, a): Foster, Carr, Johnson, Jiranek (Davies 14), Ridgewell, Larsson, Gardner, Ferguson, Mutch (Martins 64), Beausejour (Bentley 58), Jerome. Subs not used: Doyle, Murphy, Phillips, Parnaby.

Bolton (L0-1 v Man Utd, a): Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Wheater, Cahill, Robinson, Elmander, Holden (Taylor 78), Muamba (Klasnic 90), Petrov, K Davies, Sturridge (Lee 60). Subs not used: Bogdan, Moreno, Blake, Alonso.