Birmingham will look to overturn a 2-1 deficit at home against West Ham in the Carling Cup semi-final.
Relegation candidates fight for Wembley final
Birmingham will look to overturn a 2-1 deficit at home against West Ham in the Carling Cup semi-final.
The Blues were edged out during a narrow first-leg tie at Upton Park courtesy of a rare error from keeper Ben Foster.
Birmingham had fought back to equalise through Liam Ridgewell after Mark Noble had put the home side ahead early, only for Avram Grant's men to regain the initiative.
A Carlton Cole shot squirmed through the legs of an off-balance Foster to hand the Hammers a slim advantage going into the second leg.
The cup is a welcome distraction for two clubs struggling to fight off relegation in the Premier League, yet a trip to Wembley would be scant consolation should either side fail to beat the drop.
Birmingham news
The Blues will look to bounce back from Saturday's 5-0 drubbing at the hands of league leaders Manchester United, a loss fans will hope has not dented the players' confidence.
Manager Alex McLeish has spent January trying to hold on to many of his players, yet has almost a full-strength squad to pick from with only long-term absentees James McFadden and Scott Dann missing.
The Birmingham boss will have to decide whether to ring the changes after a heavy defeat, with the likes of Cameron Jerome and Lee Bowyer expected to return to the startling line-up.
West Ham news
Grant will have the option to play new signing Gary O'Neil who, after signing for the club on Tuesday, is deemed eligible to feature at St Andrews.
The Hammers have enjoyed a perfect cup record so far this year winning six out of six, yet suspensions mean that Grant's men will have to dig deep if they want to register a crucial seventh win.
Victor Obinna is still suspended following his first-leg dismissal for kicking out at Sebastien Larsson, while Frederic Piquionne is also unavailable after receiving a second yellow card for his goal celebrations on Saturday.
Carlton Cole will hope to feature after making a return to training on Tuesday following an injury to bolster a weak Hammers front line.
West Ham owners David Sullivan and David Gold, along with Karen Brady, formerly of Birmingham, have announced they will not be in attendance at St Andrews.
Possible starting XIs
Birmingham: Foster, Carr, Johnson, Ridgewell, Murphy, Larsson, Ferguson, Bowyer, Gardner, Derbyshire, Jerome.
West Ham: Green, Faubert, Tomkins, Upson, Bridge, Hines, Spector, Noble, Parker, Sears, Cole.
