Preview: Birmingham City v Rochdale

by setanta.com staff , 25 August 2010

Veteran striker Kevin Phillips and defender Stuart Parnaby are both on the injured list for Birmingham City ahead of Thursday's Carling Cup tie with Rochdale.


Evergreen goal machine Phillips misses out with a thigh problem, while full back Parnaby has a hamstring injury as the Blues welcome the attack-minded League One new boys to St Andrews.

Birmingham are expected to make several changes to the side that downed Blackburn 2-1 in the Premier League at the weekend, with Maik Taylor, Michel, Matt Derbyshire, Garry O'Connor and Keith Fahey in contention for starts, while Craig Gardner will want to retain his place after bagging both goals against Rovers.

Defender Josh Thompson, who has joined Dale on a season-long loan from Celtic, is set for a debut at St Andrews after not being cleared in time to face Colchester United at the weekend.

Keith Hill's men upset Barnsley away from home last time out and will be looking to raise their game even further and do the same to Alex McLeish's men.

Birmingham (from): Foster, Carr, Parnaby, Murphy, Ridgewell, Dann, Johnson, Larsson, Gardner, Bowyer, Ferguson, Michel, Mutch, Fahey, McFadden, Valles, Jerome, O'Connor, Zigic, Taylor, Doyle, Derbyshire.

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