The homeside will be missing Damien Johnson, Stephen Kelly, Stuart Parnaby, Garry O'Connor and Gary McSheffrey. Nigel Quashie is available after having his loan from West Ham extended.

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish: "We've got to build on the last two results.

"We've certainly like to do it the hard way in the last couple of weeks

"We have now got to take the spirit and the character that the side have shown into the Ipswich game and hopefully we can see the performance levels going up considerably.

"I can't say anything at all against the players' character and spirit because they've got that in abundance.

"Sometimes during games when a team is losing you can see slumped shoulders and their heads going down and I don't want to see that.

"I always like to see the response and what we're going to do about it.

"I must say on Friday night the second half performance was fantastic but I wish they wouldn't put me through that first half though.

"We've now got to concentrate on winning this very tough challenge against Ipswich.

"They are a good footballing side and if anything gives in the other games that's a bonus but you can only do what's in your own hands.

"Jim's got players in there who can take the ball and he wants to see a passing team, so I'm expecting Ipswich to have a bit of composure but we've got to unsettle them and the St. Andrew's crowd can help us as well."

Town will be without David Norris for the trip to St Andrews after he picked up a dead leg against Derby at the weekend. Gareth McAuley is fit again and could return to the starting side in place of Alex Bruce, while Moritz Volz will be challenging for a return after missing the game against Derby because of suspension.

Town manager Jim Magilton: "Birmingham are a very good side, they have Premier League experience and everything suggests a home win, we need to go there and quieten their crowd down, get on the ball and play our game and then maybe it will be a different story.

"My players are relishing the challenge. Birmingham are a team you would expect to be at the top of the table and they have shown that. They have a very good manager in Alex McLeish and he can handle the expectation that goes with the job there. After all, he was in charge of Rangers.

"Kevin Phillips is still doing what he does best, scoring goals. We knew he may be available last summer and when good players come along, you have to be interested but Birmingham always looked favourites and I'm sure he is happy he went there.

"We know he sniffs out chances so we will have to be switched on for the 90 minutes and beyond but we are ready and it will be a good test for us. We have raised our game before against good teams and we will go there with no fear."

Match odds:
Birmingham: 5/6
Draw: 27/10
Town: 15/4

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