Source: Daily_Mail
Birmingham v Liverpool LIVE
Roy Hodgson's side have the chance to kick start their misfiring season with a tough away fixture at Alex McLeish's Birmingham. Both managers made several additions to their squads before the transfer window slammed shut. This will be the first opportunity to see new signings: Raul Meireles, Paul Konchesky, Jean Beausejour and Martin Jiranek. Alexander Hleb is out for the Blues after picking up an injury on international duty. Tom Bellwood is watching the action. [LNB] PREMIER LEAGUE Birmingham 0 Liverpool 0 FTFULL TIME: That's it, all over. This match which normally offers us so much drama passes by with, well, not very much. Birmingham will certainly be the happier of the two sides. [LNB]Alex McLeish's side have now made their best start to a Premier League season. Roy Hodgson's don't look much different to the team who were so maligned last term. [LNB] Birmingham move up to fifth, Liverpool are into 13th position. That's all from me... night. [LNB]90min: We'll have three minutes added on... And the 6ft 7in giant that is Nikola Zigic is on for James McFadden.[LNB]88min: We're being treated to some really up-and-at-em stuff but the lack of quality means the game remains scoreless. Steven Gerrard's cross is easily cut out by Liam Ridgewell, Poulsen's drive is blocked and blah, blah, blah. Not sure this game deserves a goal. [LNB]85min: Right, last five minutes - which of you two teams actually want to win this one?[LNB]82min: He's remained quiet in the game so far but Fernando Torres has just gone on one of those runs that Torres used to go on so often not long ago. They seem a distant memory now. With pace, guile and invention he moves towards th box, shrugging off two defenders. But the ball is finally nicked off his toe just as he's about to shoot, fails to connect properly and the ball rolls harmlessly into Ben Foster's hands. [LNB]80min: Right, last ten minutes - which of you two teams actually want to win this one? [LNB]78min: Pepe Reina has been, by far, the best player in this game. Which makes me rather sad as this game offered so much more. [LNB]75min: Two quick substitutions for Liverpool. Lucas Leiva makes way for the £11.5m signing Raul Meireles to huge cheers from the Liverpool fans. Paul Konchesky has also come off, he's replaced by Daniel Agger. [LNB]72min: Liverpool win a free kick, 25 yards out. I'm right to not expect much... the ball is whipped in but nutted away by one of the Blues defenders. [LNB] War of attrition: Despite both side's effort the match has remained goalless[LNB]70min: OOOH! Every Blues fan is out of his seat as Cameron Jerome sends a header agonisingly wide of the upright. A decent, if very difficult chance to take - Jerome was staggering backwards and did well to even reach the ball. Lots and lots of huff and puff in this half but there's been a real dearth of quality. I fancy an error will decide this contest. [LNB]67min: Steven Gerrard's already pulled his bandage off. [LNB]65min: Steven Gerrard is off the pitch having more work done to the cut on his ear he suffered during the first half. He berates the fourth official for asking him to change his red shirt and eventually has his head swathed in bandages to stop the flow of claret. [LNB]62min: Much better from Liverpool but again, Torres really should have done better. The Spaniard was found in acres of space in the inside right channel, he headed goalwards but took the ball to a very tight angle and Ben Foster easily beat his shot away when he should have squared it. [LNB] Heads I win: Reina clears just as Jerome attempts to head home[LNB]58min: Well-worked move from Liverpool, exchanging passes down the right, the ball finally working it's way to Steven Gerrard who dug out a neat cross. But Torres was still making up ground and the ball sped across the six yard box. Liverpool are still lacking invention, a touch of quality. They're a very average side. Not great to watch at all. [LNB]56min: Birmingham have started much the better of the two sides here and Scott Dann has just missed a wonderful opportunity to hand his side the lead. Seb Larsson whipped in a free kick, bodies tumbled in the box and there was Dann, totally unmarked, six yards from goal. His header hit the deck and bounced over the bar. [LNB]53min: Ooohs and aaahs from the Liverpool fans as Jovanovic just fails to control the ball in the box and a chance is lost. More pressingly, I think that was his first touch of the game. He been rather anonymous. [LNB]51min: Neatness from Birmingham who spread a few nice touches around midfield. The ball eventually comes to James McFadden who slaps a shot wide. It won't count as a shot on goal but a decent chance nonetheless. [LNB] Down but not out: Lucas hits the deck during the hotly-contested clash at St Andrew's[LNB]47min: OOOH! Seb Larsson swings in a deep free kick, Liam Ridgewell's venomous header rattles off the back of someone's head and the chance goes begging. [LNB]46min: No changes to either side and we're back under way. Early snap-shot from Steven Gerrard is well held by Ben Foster. [LNB]During the half time break a Birmingham fan proposed to his fiancee. Amusingly, the crowd chanted 'you don't know what you're doing'. She said yes, though. [LNB]SECOND HALF... HALF TIME: It took it's time to get going but this game became more enjoyable as it progressed. Two teams with similar systems but different styles: Birmingham playing direct, Liverpool passing as much as they can. An engaging contest... more in a bit. [LNB]44min: We'll have one minute added on...[LNB]41min: Replays of Reina's most recent save from Gardner's header make it look better and better every time. Truly superb. [LNB] Over the top: Craig Gardner's dramatic attempt is blocked by Glen Johnson[LNB]39min: King fan writes: Is it too early for the man of the match? Reina is the only reason the score is still 0-0. [LNB]36min: It's all going on now. After half an hour of mundane Sunday afternoon football, this game has sparked to life. Cameron Jerome was denied by Pepe Reina, punching the ball off the striker's head. A wonderful last-gasp challenge from Roger Johnson denied Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina has made another amazing low save to his left. [LNB]32min: Only Birmingham's second decent move of the game, Sebastien Larsson pulls back for Craig Gardner who leans back and lifts miles over the bar. [LNB]30min: YELLOW CARD - First booking of the afternoon is shown to Craig Gardner who slid rather unceremoniously into the back of Lucas. Moments later Steven Gerrard's effort at goal from 30 yards does well to stay in the ground it went that far over the bar. [LNB] Flat out: The game has come to life as the half progressed[LNB]29min: A horribly executed set-piece corner amounts to nothing as Larsson's low delivery to the edge of the box is thumped clear by Lucas. This is shaping up to be one of those games. [LNB]26min: Just three attempts on goal in this game so far. A statistic which succinctly sums up just how much these two sides are canceling each other out. [LNB]24min: Hoooooraaaay! The Liverpool fans cheer in one of those sarcastic-yet-relieved ways as Barry Ferguson thumps a free kick from the edge of the box miles over the bar. [LNB]22min: FINE SAVE! Birmingham should lead but Pepe Reina pulls off a world class save to deny Cameron Jerome. Barry Ferguson found Liam Ridgewell out wide, his cross was inch-perfect but Jerome's downward header was palmed around the upright. Great football all round, really. [LNB] Tussle: Johnson and Bowyer clash during the goalless if entertaining first half[LNB]20min: Ouch. Steven Gerrard wears an elbow right on the edge of his eye. There's blood and everything - we'll take a short break for the Liverpool captain to receive some treatment. [LNB]18min: A rather half-hearted penalty shout for Birmingham is waved away by Mark Halsey. And Roger Johnson wags a rather annoyed finger in Fernando Torres' face after the Spaniard arrived late on a challenge and clipped the centre back's ankle. [LNB]16min: Both teams are playing systems with just the one striker up front but its interesting how the two differ in the systems of finding them. Birmingham, are going direct, Liverpool are happy to take 15 passes. [LNB]14min: OOOH! Cameron Jerome tries to break Liverpool's high line, but he's *this far* offside. [LNB]11min: Now this is more like it... marauding run down the left hand touchline by Glen Johnson has Liam Ridgewell back-tracking. Johnson's cross finds Torres in acres of space just in between the penalty spot and six yard area but his effort on goal was woeful. His right foot strike hit his standing foot and bobbled harmlessly wide. [LNB] Stalemate: There has been little to call between the two sides at St Andrew's[LNB]8min: After what seems like an eternity without Liverpool entering the Birmingham half - they win a corner. Steven Gerrard steps up to take it, Liam Ridgewell heads a strange clearance back across goal. Gerrard follows the ball but his follow up shot was tame and is easily cleared. [LNB]5min: Birmingham look to make inroads down the left and plunder a couple of throw ins. But a lack of quality with the final ball means little pressure is placed on Pepe Reina in the Liverpool goal. [LNB]2min: Untidy, patchy stuff to start the game. Neither side finding feet with passes and several long punts from both sides has me rolling my eyes. Now is probably a good time to tell you I doubt this will be a high-scoring match. [LNB]4pm: And we're off... The Blues playing in blue and the Reds in, erm, red. [LNB]FIRST HALF... 3.55pm: Testament to how far Birmingham have come in the last 12 months (or should that be how far backwards Liverpool have gone?) - they should feel confident of victory this afternoon. The world is changing, In tells ya. Players are out, an over-exuberant pitch announcer is screaming his lungs out in an attempt to gee-up the crowd. We'll have football for you presently. [LNB]3.50pm: Players are beginning to show their faces in the tunnel which means the football isn't too far away now. By way of killing time before kick off, I can tell you Birmingham are the only team Fernando Torres has faced more than once in the PL and never scored against.[LNB]3.40pm: Kevin Phillips is being probed on the form of 6ft 7in striker Nikola Zigic. Tip-toeing neatly around using the phrase 'decent touch for a big lad', Phillips finally concedes that the big Serbian is struggling to come to terms with the pace of the Premier League. [LNB]3.35pm: Mark Halsey's in charge of the game today which we can all agree is great news. [LNB]3.30pm: Lots of flashing lights, booming music and a dramatic shots of goals flying in is Sky's epileptic fit-inducing way of telling us that Birmingham's home record over the last 12 months is the best in the league. Nice. [LNB]Birmingham v Liverpool - teamsBirmingham: Foster, Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Larsson, Ferguson, Bowyer, Gardner, McFadden, Jerome. Subs: Taylor, Murphy, Derbyshire, Michel, Fahey, Zigic, Jiranek.Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Konchesky, Maxi, Poulsen, Lucas, Gerrard, Jovanovic, Torres. Subs: Jones,Meireles, Agger, Pacheco, Kyrgiakos, Babel, Ngog.Referee: Mark Halsey [LNB]3.20pm: Right, the teams are in and, as expected, Fernando Torres will start up front for Liverpool. [LNB]Paul Konchesky has been handed his debut at left back but midfielder Raul Meireles has to be content with a place on the bench. [LNB]Martin Jiranek will have to make his debut as a substitute after the transfer deadline day move from Spartak Moscow but Jean Beausejour has been over-looked - as he's not even in the country![LNB]And this match marks Joe Cole's last game of his domestic suspension following his sending off against Arsenal. [LNB] All smiles: Gardner celebrates his goal against Bolton [LNB]3pm: Afternoon everyone and welcome to Sportsmail's coverage of the Barclays Premier League clash between Birmingham and Liverpool. [LNB]A victory against Liverpool may well make Birmingham vice-chairman Peter Pannu change his mind over his recent comment. [LNB]Pannu described McLeish as 'no Jose Mourinho' - an ill-judged statement given how well the the Scotsman has performed at St Andrew's. [LNB]And Roy Hodgson is looking for the convincing win to kick-start the Reds season which is taking it's time to spark to life. [LNB]Plenty of new talent on offer today after both managers splashed out during the transfer window. We're likely to get first sightings of Liverpool's Raul Meireles, Paul Konchesky and Birmingham's new pair Jean Beausejour and Martin Jiranek.[LNB]But the Blues' new signing from Barcelona, Alexander Hleb, looks set to miss out after picking up an injury on international duty last week. [LNB]All the news and action as it happens and you can direct your banter and observations if you wish to share them with the world this way: tom.bellwood@dailymail.co.uk[LNB] Kop that: Fernando Torres is in the Liverpool line up after returning uninjured from Spain's recent friendly with Argentina[LNB] McLeish says new signing Hleb could be Birmingham's new DugarryGerard Houllier to offer Manchester United's Michael Owen Aston Villa lifeline Roy Hodgson calls for future owners to move Liverpool to new groundLIVERPOOL FC
