Manchester City manage to hang on to their one goal lead to claim all three points against a hard working Birmingham side who perhaps may feel hard done by.

Ball drives forward with the ball and lays it off to Samaras who turns and shoots, sending it inches wide of the left hand post.

Birmingham are continuing to pile on the pressure but just can't find a way past this solid City defence.

Wilson Palacios swings in a corner toward the far post where the ball is meet by a good punch from Hart.

Liam Ridgewell tries to win the ball by going through the back of Elano and gets a yellow card for his troubles.

Manchester City's hero Blumer Elano comes off too a standing ovation and is replaced by Gelson Fernandes

Johnson is booked after pulling back de Ridder after the Dutchman had got away from him.

Garry O'Connor thinks he is away from the Man City defence but a last ditch tackle from Vedran Corluka prevents the Scottish internationals strike reaching the goal.

Garrido dives in with a late tackle on Schmitz and is booked for it.

Franck Queudrue tries his luck with a free kick from dead centre of the field 20 yards out but only sent it over the top of the cross bar

Stephen Ireland comes off and on comes Michael Ball to try and protect this lead.

de Ridder swings in a freekick from wide on the left which Hart comes to claim but drops it leaving the goal open for Jerome whose shot is cleared off the line as City survive.

Corluka gets himself a yellow card after losing possession and then cutting down Jerome with a badly timed tackle.

Garry O'Connor comes on as Birmingham add a second striker to the team as Medhi Nafti comes off.

Kapo does well to get inbehind the City defenc and fire a low ball in across the face of goal for Muamba to attack, the midfielder knocking it towards goal and forcing Hart to tip the ball onto his own post and away from danger.

Petrov smashes a freekick from 35-yards out, but gets his foot underneath it and sends it high into the stands behind the goal.

Petrov fires a long ball across the field for Elano who does well to control it before hammering it towards goal from 20 yards, but it flies just wide of Taylor's right hand post.

Wilson Palacios is booked after diving in the box, claiming Ireland had fouled him when the Irish midfielder clearly had not.

Samaras manages to squeeze a pass out from a challenge from two Brum defenders, the ball falling to Elano who strikes it on the half volley, sending it high over the bar.

Georgios Samaras comes on to replace Emile Lokonda Mpenza.

de Ridder knocks in a freekick from wide on the right into a crowded penalty area where Hart is forced to come through a crowd of players to get anything on it before Hamann can follow up and clear.

Corluka shows some really nice skill, taking it around three Birmingham defenders before trying to cut it back for Ireland but the Irish midfielders touch is poor and the visitors can clear.

Daniel de Ridder comes on for only his second appearance for Birmingham, replacing Gary McSheffrey.

Petrov continues to try his luck from long range and produces his best effort of the afternoon so far, this time forcing Taylor into a good save low down to his right.

Petrov swings in a freekick from City on the right and nearly finds Mpenza but the lone striker is out jumped by Schmitz who clears.

McSheffrey whips in another freekick from out wide, sending it towards the far post but its again dealt with really well by Hart who catches it easily.

This time the corner finds its way to the back post where Richards meets it, trying to knock it back across the face of goal but Taylor comes off his line to claim the ball well.

Petrov swings in a corner towards the near post and the ball avoids everyone and eventually Kelly has to turn it behind on his own goal line for another corner.

McSheffrey whips in the first corner of the half and finds Schmitz who gets up above Richards to win the header but can only send it over the bar.

Elano makes Kelly look foolish with a great display of skill and nearly finds Mpenza with the cross but Ridgewell does well to head it away.

Birmingham get the second half underway looking to level the scores and become the first team to come away from Eastlands with anything.

Manchester City lead at the break after Elano took one of the few chances created by both sides, Birmingham by no means out of it, making a few oppurtunities of their own.

McSheffrey swings in a freekick towards the near post where two Birmingham players fly in to challenge Hart who again deals with the set piece very well, catching the ball nicely under pressure.

The fourth official indicates there will be a minimum of two minutes of added on time.

Petrov receives the ball after it breaks from a tackle between Johnson and Nafti, Petrov striking it again from 30-yards but it’s an awful effort flying into the stands.

Birmingham respond straight away with Kapo doing really well to step past two City defenders before firing the ball low towards the bottom corner forcing Hart into a very good save a full stretch to push the ball away.

Elano opens the scoring for Man City with an inch perfect finish past Taylor after Corluka had done well to get into the area and cut the ball back for Elano.

Birmingham work the ball quickly to the other end of the field and finds Jerome who gets a snap shot away which is to close to Hart, the keeper holding the shot well.

Petrov takes the corner but before anyone can touch the ball Mike Dean blows his whistle and gives Birmingham the freekick for a push by Richards.

Petrov whips in a freekick low into the penalty area, nearly finding Dunne but Kapo sticks out a leg to touch it behind for a corner.

McSheffrey floats a good cross in towards the near post for Palacios who can't quite reach the ball before Corluka gets there and hammers it away.

Queudrue gets himself forward and drives a shot in on the half volley which takes a vicious bounces infront of Hart but the young goalkeeper is equal to it and holds on to the ball well.

Palacios takes another corner for Birmingham this time looking for someone at the far post but again Hart does well to catch the ball and releases it early again.

Birmingham catch Man City off guard with a long ball over the top for Jerome to chase who nearly makes it but Hart was quick off his line and claims the ball before Jerome slides into the young English goalkeeper.

Wilson Palacios floats in a corner which isnt great and its easily caught by Hart who bowls the ball out quickly to launch another City attack.

Petrov tries his luck from the corner of the penalty area, driving it over the bar when a cross towards Mpenza might have been the better option.

Jerome recieves the ball on the edge of the penalty area and lays it off to the on rushing McSheffrey who strikes the ball low and straight but its easily dealt with by Hart who saves and holds the ball.

The second corner comes in towards Dunne again who misses it again but this time Brum manages to clear the ball.

Petrov whips in the corner towards the near post which Dunne misses and arrives at the far post for Garrido who can't beat Kelly to the ball, the Irish defender knocking it behind for another corner.

Elano drives in a free kick from just left of centre which strikes the edge of the wall and takes a deflection, ending up going wide of the Birmingham goal.

Elano plays a brilliant ball through for Petrov who sprints onto it but the City midfielder just takes one touch too many giving Kelly the chance to slide in and knock the ball away.

Birmingham are just pumping a lot of long ball forward at the moment which are proving easy for the home side to deal with.

Nafti floats in the corner towards the near post where Garrido is forced to deal with it and knock it away as City repel the first corner of the game.

McSheffrey lays the ball back to the edge of the penalty area where Jerome strikes it cleanly towards goal but the on rushing Corluka deflects the ball behind for a corner.

Hamann toe pokes the ball back to Hart who hesitates at first and then picks up the ball resulting in Mike Dean giving the free kick inside the penalty area for a back pass.

Queudrue tries to launch a long freekick into the area from just inside the Manchester City haf but its a poor one and Dunne heads it away.

Mike Dean checks his watch and gets the game underway here at Eastlands with Manchester City taking kick-off.

Birmingham City XI: Maik Taylor, Kelly, Schmitz, Ridgewell, Queudrue, McSheffrey, Palacios, Muamba, Nafti, Kapo, Jerome

Birmingham are without defender Johan Djourou who picked up a hamstring injury whilst on international duty. Apart from that Steve Bruce has no new injury worries as he looks to halt Brum’s three game losing streak.

Manchester City XI: Hart, Corluka, Richards, Dunne, Garrido, Ireland, Johnson, Hamann, Petrov, Mpenza, Elano

Manchester City include Elano in their starting eleven despite the Brazilian representing his country in mid-week. Michael Johnson also starts after shaking off a groin problem.