Source: Northern_Echo
Match Preview: Sunderland v Birmingham City
SUNDERLAND Gordon Hutton Turner Mensah Ferdinand Campbell Meyler Richardson Malbranque Bent Jones[LNB] Jerome Benitez Bowyer Gardner Ferguson Fahey Ridgewell Dann Johnson Carr Hart BIRMINGHAM[LNB] Sunderland subs: Cattermole, Zenden, Reid, Kilgallon, Carson (gk), Bardsley, Noble, McCartney, Da Silva, Henderson. Birmingham subs: McFadden, Larsson, Taylor (gk), Phillips, Madera, Tainio, Queudrue, Sammons, Parnaby.[LNB] SUNDERLAND: Steve Bruce is monitoring the fitness of Andy Reid, Lee Cattermole and Kenwyne Jones ahead of today's match, with all three likely to be involved. Bolo Zenden has also been struggling with a knee problem this week but should be fit. David Meyler is likely to continue in the middle regardless of who returns to fitness. Suspensions: Cana 1 Injuries: None Leading league scorer: Bent 18 Last five league games: DWDLD[LNB] BIRMINGHAM: Former Middlesbrough defender Stuart Parnaby has recovered from an ankle problem which kept him out of their last match with Everton. He's unlikely to start, while Teemu Tainio is unable to play against his employers under the rules of his loan agreement from Sunderland. Suspensions: None Injuries: Carsley (ankle), O'Connor (hips) Leading league scorer: Jerome 8 Last five league games: DWWLL[LNB] Key player: Barry Ferguson the Scotland midfielder has looked a bargain at just £1m. Referee: Peter Walton (Long Buckby) G27 Y61 R5 Cd Av: 2.44 Last Sunderland game: v Portsmouth (a) 2-0, 23/1/10, Y2 R0 League head to head: Sunderland 48, Birmingham 35, Draws 20 Odds: H5/4; A9/4; D11/5[LNB] It's a fact: In Sunderland's record breaking season in 1998-99 Niall Quinn (21) and Kevin Phillips (25) scored a memorable 46 goals between them. Comment By Paul Fraser: Sunderland have looked like a top ten team again in the last two matches so we can expect that to continue today even if it is against a buoyant City. Prediction: 2-0[LNB]
