Burnley V Birmingham at Turf Moor : Match Preview

25 January 2013 09:31
Burnley V Birmingham - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.


Austin doubt for Clarets

Burnley's top scorer Charlie Austin remains a fitness doubt for the npower Championship clash with Birmingham.

Austin has not played since the Clarets' defeat to Leicester at the end of last month due to a hamstring injury.

The 23-goal striker, a reported transfer target for Celtic, has resumed training and boss Sean Dyche will make a late decision on his participation.

Fellow forward Martin Paterson returned from a similar problem as a late substitute in last weekend's impressive 2-0 win at Millwall and is set to feature once more.

Defenders Ben Mee and Kevin Long are back in training following respective knee and ankle problems but only the latter is ready for first-team action.

Dyche's men are enjoying a rich vein of form at present, having won their last three league games and four of the last five - all without conceding a goal.

Marlon King and Nikola Zigic are pushing to return to Birmingham's starting XI for the trip.

The strike duo were both missing over the festive period due to injury and suspension respectively but have now returned to the fold, each stepping off the bench in the second half of City's last two league games.

It was Zigic who rescued an injury-time point in last weekend's 2-2 draw against Brighton and with struggling Blues desperately in need of three points after just one win in their last eight league games, boss Lee Clark will be tempted to turn to the pair from the off at Turf Moor.

The likes of Ravel Morrison and Hayden Mullins are also pushing for recalls, while Jonathan Spector will again be assessed as he looks to recover from injury.

Akwasi Asante, Darren Ambrose, David Murphy, Stephen Carr and Will Packwood remain sidelined.

Source: PA