Birmingham v Liverpool
Barclays Premier League
Venue: St Andrew's Date: Sunday, 12 September Kick-off: 1600 BST
Coverage: Live on Sky Sports 1, BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live, full-match commentary on BBC Radio Merseyside & highlights on Match of the Day 2
Birmingham's new signing Aleksandr Hleb misses out on his debut after picking up a leg injury on international duty.
But other new boys, Jean Beausejour and Martin Jiranek, are in contention to play their first game for the Blues.
Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt is missing with a shoulder injury he picked up during a training session with the Netherlands.
David Ngog is hopeful of being fit after a hamstring problem, and Paul Konchesky and Raul Meireles are expected to make their debuts.
Birmingham
Injured: Hleb (leg), Parnaby (hamstring), Phillips (thigh)
Liverpool
Suspended: Cole (one match)
Doubtful: Ngog (hamstring)
Injured: Kuyt (shoulder)
When the transfer window slammed shut Birmingham fans were elated with a summer of business that had seen them sign players from clubs of the calibre of Barcelona, Manchester United and Valencia.
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After 10 games I will start worrying about the table but until then I'll worry more about performances and results
Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson
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But manager Alex McLeish's reward for that, and his side showing a continuation of the form that saw them overachieve last season, was a withering assessment of his abilities from his club's vice-chairman as his on-going contract negotiations rumbles on.
Peter Pannu's foot-in-mouth moment came when he said McLeish is "no Mourinho yet" which helped take the gloss off what has been an excellent start to the season at St Andrew's.
Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has been heavily backed since he arrived at the Reds in the summer and has had no such murmurings from the Anfield board, despite a less than impressive start to the season.
He wants his new-look side to be judged after 10 games of the campaign and he will integrate two more new signings in Paul Konchesky and Raul Meireles on Sunday. Arguably his greatest boost, though, came when Fernando Torres returned fit after sitting out a gruelling midweek friendly for Spain away in Argentina.
Head-to-head
• The last six league matches between Birmingham and Liverpool have ended as draws - if this ends all square it will equal the Premier League record for consecutive drawn matches between two teams.
• Liverpool's Steven Gerrard has scored in six of the nine league matches he has played against Birmingham.
• In 114 matches between the sides, Liverpool have won 56, Birmingham 29 and there have been 29 draws.
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606: DEBATE
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Birmingham
• Birmingham have gone 16 home games without a Premier League defeat.
• The Blues have scored two headed goals this season - just one fewer than they did in the whole of the 2009-10 league season.
• There were only 32 goals scored at St Andrew's in 2009-10, fewer than at any other Premier League ground.
Liverpool
• Liverpool have only won one of their last 10 Premier League away matches.
• The Reds have only scored eight goals in their last 13 league away games and half of those were netted in one match (v Burnley).
• The only team that striker Fernando Torres has faced more than once and not scored against in the Premier League is Birmingham (twice).
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Birmingham
Gardner: 3 goals (3 league)
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Liverpool
Ngog: 4 goals (1 league)
Referee: Mark Halsey
Assistant referees: Simon Long & Glenn Turner
Fourth official: Stuart Atwell
Birmingham (D2-2 v Bolton, a): Foster; Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Larsson (Fahey 76), Gardner, Ferguson, McFadden (Derbyshire 67), Bowyer, Jerome. Subs not used: Taylor, Murphy, O'Connor, Zigic, Valles
Liverpool (W1-0 v West Brom, h): Reina; Johnson, Skrtel, Carragher, Agger, Kuyt, Poulsen, Lucas, Jovanovic (Maxi 59), Gerrard, Torres (Babel 89). Subs not used: Jones, Pacheco, Kyrgiakos, Spearing, Kelly
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