Birmingham and West Ham would expect to have been in opposite positions going into their weekend clash.
Bowyer to face former suitors but Upson misses out on City return
Birmingham and West Ham United could be forgiven for thinking their teams would be in opposite positions going into their weekend clash.
Blues were one of the pre-season relegation candidates having come up from the Championship last season, but Alex McLeish's side are currently flying high in the Premier League after last weekend's win at Wigan.
The 3-2 victory over the Latics saw the promoted club extend their unbeaten run to six and the St Andrews faithful are in dreamland after seeing their side occupy ninth position in England's top division.
The Hammers, who finished last season in the same place where Saturday's opponents currently lie, look extremely unlikely to repeat the top-half successes of the last two campaigns judging by current form which sees them lurking a point and a place above the drop zone.
Gianfranco Zola's side travel to the West Midlands off the back of some inconsistent form - they first defeated Burnley 5-3 at Upton Park before the visit of Manchester United saw the champions put four past the East Londoners without reply.
Confidence is never sky-high after a drubbing in front of the home fans, but Zola will be keen to stress to his players that they travel to a ground where they have not lost in 24 years.
The Hammers have won five of their last six visits to St Andrews and the Italian will be desperate for his side to improve upon their poor away record this season which has seen them win just once on their travels.
Team news
West Ham, though, begin life without Dean Aston who was forced to call time on his career on Friday.
The 26-year-old striker has been forced to retire from the ankle injury which has plagued him since 2006 and it brings a sorry end to a difficult time but the Hammers have more injuries to worry about.
And Zola will again be without the services of skipper Matthew Upson who has been denied a return to his former stomping ground.
The England defender, who spent four seasons with City, has failed to recover from a hamstring injury, and stays on the sidelines alongside Carlton Cole (knee ligaments), Valon Behrami (knee) and Luis Jimenez (muscle strain).
Forward Zavon Hines (knee) has also joined the absentee list but midfielder Mark Noble is back after missing the last twi games with a virus.
Injury-prone Kieran Dyer came off the bench in the United defeat so he will be pushing for a starting berth while goalkeeper Robert Green has overcome his illness which saw him substituted last time out.
Birmingham, meanwhile, welcome Kevin Phillips back to the squad for Saturday's home clash with West Ham.
The veteran striker has been sidelined for the past fortnight with a foot problem and will provide back-up for the first-choice pairing of Cameron Jerome and Christian Benitez.
Fellow forward Garry O'Connor and on-loan Sunderland midfielder Teemu Tainio remain long-term injury absentees after hip and knee operations respectively.
The game sees Lee Bowyer face his former club for the first time since leaving for St Andrews initially on loan last January and the in-form midfielder will be keen to continue his impressive run to extend City's unbeaten record to seven matches.
Possible starting XIs
Birmingham: Hart, Ridgewell, Johnson, Dann, Carr, McFadden, Ferguson, Bowyer, Larsson, Jerome, Benitez.
West Ham: Green, Illunga, Gabbidon, Tomkins, Spector, Stanislas, Noble, Parker, Collison, Dyer, Franco.
