{"id":424782,"date":"2011-05-16T09:39:49","date_gmt":"2011-05-16T09:39:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/05\/16\/birmingham-braced-for-90m-game\/"},"modified":"2011-05-16T09:39:49","modified_gmt":"2011-05-16T09:39:49","slug":"birmingham-braced-for-90m-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/05\/16\/birmingham-braced-for-90m-game\/","title":{"rendered":"Birmingham braced for \u00a390m game"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Birmingham<\/p>\n

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Stakes massive for final game – McLeish<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Birmingham striker Kevin Phillips has called next Sunday’s trip to Tottenham “a \u00a390m game” as the Blues try to avoid relegation from the Premier League.<\/p>\n

City need to a least match Wigan and Blackpool’s results to stay up after losing 2-0 at home to Fulham.<\/a><\/p>\n

Wigan travel to Stoke while Blackpool visit Manchester United.<\/a><\/p>\n

And Phillips said: “They talk about the Championship play-off final being worth \u00a390m, there’s three Premier League games next week worth as much as that.”<\/p>\n

West Ham were the first top-flight side to be relegated this season after losing 3-2 at Wigan<\/a> and they will be joined in the Championship next season by any two of five teams.<\/p>\n

Birmingham, Blackpool and Wigan are all level on 39 points, with the Blues having a marginally better goal difference, while Wolves and Blackburn, who meet at Molineux on the final day of the season, are on 40 points.<\/p>\n

“We know what we’ve got to do,” continued Phillips. “I have been in this situation a couple of times before and we need the experienced players to come to the front and everyone to perform at White Hart Lane.<\/p>\n

“I feel sorry for the supporters. I can only apologise.”<\/p>\n

Birmingham have been in freefall since winning the League Cup<\/a> at the end of February, winning just two of their 11 league games since then.<\/p>\n

Continue reading the main story<\/a><\/p>\n
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“Everything we had talked about we executed and it could have been more comprehensive<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Fulham manager Mark Hughes<\/span><\/div>\n

But boss Alex McLeish said the equation was straightforward enough even if the task may not be.<\/p>\n

“We are in a dogfight,” he conceded. “It’s come down to one game. It’s quite simple.<\/p>\n

“The stakes are enormous and we know the consequences of going out of the Premier League.<\/p>\n

“But it is what it is and we will come back in on Tuesday and work out how we go to White Hart Lane and beat Spurs.”<\/p>\n

Midfielder Craig Gardner and defender Liam Ridgewell will be available for McLeish after being suspended for the Fulham defeat.<\/p>\n

“It has hurt us badly losing those two,” admitted the Scot. “Suspensions and injuries have hurt us and we are down to the bare bones.”<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Mark Hughes was encouraged by his side’s third away win of the season, and second in succession after beating Sunderland 3-0 a couple of weeks ago.<\/p>\n

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\"Fulham<\/p>\n

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Away form pleases Hughes<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

“I’m very pleased,” he said. “It was important we showed intent about what we want to achieve from our season.<\/p>\n

“We had a difficult night against Liverpool on Monday but I got what I wanted from the team; we started positively and quietened the crowd and that was to our benefit.<\/p>\n

“We took the game to Birmingham and created a number of chances.<\/p>\n

“Everything we had talked about we executed and it could have been more comprehensive – perhaps that is my only criticism, that we didn’t take all our chances.<\/p>\n

“Not many teams come here and get positive results but we made it quite comfortable.<\/p>\n

“We’ve improved our attitude on the road, we try to take the game to the opposition and we are improving.<\/p>\n

“We are always solid at home, so if we can build on our away performances next season we can establish ourselves in the top 10.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\nBirmingham braced for \u00a390m game<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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