Source: SKY_Sports
Arsenal v Birmingham preview
// A bit of a hack but it works// The article snippet is wrapped onto a second line, even when #article-sub is emptyif( $("div#article-sub").children().length == 0 ) {$("div#article-sub").remove();} Arsenal will be looking for a repeat of their last game at the Emirates Stadium when they take on Birmingham on Saturday.[LNB] Arsene Wenger's side smashed Blackburn Rovers 6-2 last time out, and will be looking to do the same against Alex McLeish's Blues who will want to bounce back after three successive defeats.[LNB]Contrastingly, the Gunners come into the game on the back of three Premier League wins, and with Cesc Fabregas firing on all cylinders last time out, Birmingham will be up against it if they are going to spring a surprise in North London.[LNB]Arsenal goalkeeper Vito Mannone is likely to drop out of the side after a run in the first team, and could even miss out on the squad altogether.[LNB]First-choice stopper Manuel Almunia is rated 50-50 after missing more than a month with a chest infection, while number two Lukasz Fabianski is back after recovering from knee surgery.[LNB]Gael Clichy is a doubt after the left-back picked up an ankle knock while on international duty with France, while Abou Diaby is likely to shake off a similar injury in time for the match.[LNB]Eduardo (thigh) is definitely out but captain Fabregas will play despite missing Spain's game in midweek because of personal reasons.[LNB]Samir Nasri is still missing after recovering from his broken leg, although he could return for Arsenal's Carling Cup clash with Liverpool later in the month.[LNB]Birmingham newsBirmingham have got a mounting toll of injuries and Franck Queudrue and Keith Fahey have both been added to the list.[LNB]The pair picked up knocks in City's last game against Burnley, and Queudrue's absence will be the biggest problem for Alex McLeish who is still without injured defenders David Murphy and Gregory Vignal.[LNB]Stuart Parnaby and Martin Taylor remain sidelined for the Blues, but they could welcome back midfielder Teemu Tainio and striker Cameron Jerome.[LNB]Tainio picked up a knee injury in training last week but could feature at the Emirates, while Jerome has shaken off an ankle knock picked up against Portsmouth earlier in the season.[LNB]Ecuadorian striker Christian Benitez misses out for Birmingham, after a problem with his flight home from South America.[LNB]Possible starting XIs:[LNB]Arsenal: Almunia, Gibbs, Vermaelen, Gallas, Sagna, Song, Fabregas, Diaby, Rosicky, Arshavin, Van Persie[LNB]Birmingham: Hart, Dann, Carr, Johnson, Larsson, Carsley, Bowyer, Ferguson, Tainio, Jerome, McFadden[LNB]
