West Midlands rivals Birmingham and Wolves will renew rivalries when they clash in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.
West Midlands rivals aim for FA Cup bragging rights
West Midlands rivals Birmingham and Wolves will renew rivalries when they clash in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.
Wolves' visit to St Andrew's should bring a little bite to the famous competition with the clubs, despite not considering each other their fiercest rivals, keen to earn local bragging rights.
It is the first meeting between the teams since Mick McCarthy's men escaped Premier League relegation at the expense of Birmingham last season.
Relegation capped a topsy-turvy 2011 for the Blues, who won the League Cup to make a return to European football.
Chris Hughton's side are aiming to make an instant return to the top-flight from the Championship, while Wolves again face a relegation battle.
They have earned three draws in their last four top-flight games as they remain just three points from the foot of the table.
It is the first time the Molineux club have played the Blues as the higher division team since 1954.
However, Wolves have only won once in their last seven trips down the M6 - which also came in the FA Cup third round in 2009.
Team news
Wolves midfielder Nenad Milijas will sit out the meeting as he serves the final game of a three-match suspension.
Otherwise boss McCarthy has no fresh injury problems with midfielder Jamie O'Hara (hernia) and defender Ronald Zubar (knee) his only absentees.
However, McCarthy will give consideration to rotating his squad with the likes of newcomers Emmanuel Frimpong and Eggert Jonsson, recent arrivals from Arsenal and Hearts respectively.
Birmingham boss Hughton can call on the likes of fit-again duo Jordon Mutch and Liam Ridgewell as well as Wade Elliot and Morgaro Gomis coming into his plans.
Captain Stephen Carr (knee) is the only definite injury-enforced absentee, while a couple of unnamed players carrying knocks will also be assessed.
