Brum v Luton preview

Luton go to St Andrews this evening on the back of 8 straight away defeats and will do very well to get anything out of this game apart from a heavy defeat.

Luton beat Birmingham in a five goal thriller at Kenilworth Road, but since then The Blues have bought big and climbed to the top of the table while Luton have slid into relegation territory.

Steve Bruce has indicated that he may make several changes for the Hatters' visit as he has a number of players carrying knocks, and probably because he does not see how Luton can trouble them.

Mike Newell on www.lutontown.co.uk:

'We go there as underdogs, Birmingham are eight points clear at the top of the league and every Birmingham City fan expects to turn up on Friday night and win and the pressure is on them if it's on anyone.

'We will treat the game like any other away game and respect the opposition, but try and get a result there.

'A club like Birmingham that's recently been in the Premier League and which has the resources they have and the strength in depth of squad that they have expects to be in the Premier League.

'Nobody has the right to be in the Premier League, but they fully believe that they should be there and right now it looks like they are on the verge of heading back there.

'All we can do is go there and give it everything we have got with what we've got available and see what happens.'

'They have a formidable squad and it will be difficult for us but it is not beyond us.'



Steve Bruce on Birmingham's official website said:

'Clem is a major worry because he has got a bit of a calf strain which tightened in the last ten minutes on Boxing Day and Nafti got a kick, so he's sore as well,' said Bruce

'With Johnson, I will possibly, possibly leave him out as he has played two games in four days for the first time in seven weeks after his broken jaw.'

On Matthew Upson, also carrying a slight hamstring injury, he commented:

'We can't afford for him to be out for four or five weeks, so we'll see,' added Bruce.

'But it's to be expected, playing in the amount of games we've played, picking up these niggles and knocks and strains.

'I have also got to have one eye on the Ipswich Town game on New Year's Day as well, so you can't afford to take risks if people aren't quite right.

'It might be the time for me to just freshen it up a little bit, which can be an advantage at this time of year.'

In the event that Clemence and Johnson or Upson are left out, they are likely to be replaced by Fabrice Muamba and Sebastian Larsson and Martin Taylor.

We know why, don't we?

Robinson, Brkovic and Bell are rated doubtful, which may signal a start for Sol Davis, pushing Emanuel forward to left midfield. Barnett is likely to continue in midfield.

The only player who seems in form at the moment.

Birmingham 4-0 Luton

Seconds Out! Vital Boxing is here!

Vital F1 Prediction League - Join now for Monaco