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Kelly: Fitness doubts

Skysports.com prediction: Fulham 2 Birmingham 1

Sky Bet odds: Fulham 5/4 Draw 9/4 Birmingham 9/4

One to watch: Mikael Forssell

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Fulham and Birmingham meet each other in a key relegation battle at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

Both sides head into the game occupying a place in the bottom three. The Blues remained in the drop zone after letting slip a two-goal lead against Liverpool last weekend and are now only two points ahead of Fulham but one adrift of safety.

City would be relegated if they lose and main rivals Bolton and Reading win and their situation is not aided by the fact that they are without an away win in five months since the 3-2 victory at Tottenham in boss Alex McLeish's first match in charge.

Tests

Birmingham will give late fitness tests to right-back Stephen Kelly and midfielder Mehdi Nafti before finalising their team for the showdown.

Kelly, who has been an ever-present this season, has a knee problem while Nafti is struggling to shake off a thigh strain.

Former Fulham defender Frank Queudrue is on standby to take over from Kelly while club captain Damien Johnson is available to return in midfield after completing the three-match ban he picked up after being sent off at Wigan last month.

Form

Roy Hodgson's Fulham side completed a remarkable fightback at Manchester City last Saturday when Diomansy Kamara's second-half cameo inspired a 3-2 victory.

The result has flooded Fulham with self-belief as they size-up the three-point gap between themselves and safety and a third victory in four games could edge them out of the relegation zone for the first time since 26th December.

But the Cottagers remain on the brink and know a defeat or even a draw could condemn them to the Championship depending on how the other teams surrounding them fare.

Jari Litmanen is fit but will not participate. He has recovered from the head injury sustained in training last week but is short on match fitness and has been ruled out.

Otherwise Fulham are at full strength and Hodgson could give Diomansy Kamara a start following his heroics against Manchester City.