West Ham United FC

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• Founded:1895
• Manager:Avram Grant

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Preview: West Ham v Birmingham

09 Feb 2010 - 12:54:51

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Gianfranco Zola's West Ham United side face Birmingham City at Upton Park just four days after their predicament towards the foot of the Premier League table took another battering.

The Hammers lost 2-1 at Burnley on Saturday and have found a way back into the bottom three after their latest downturn in form.

To make matters worse, Burnley secured their first win in 12 matches in a run stretching back to the end of October by beating the Hammers at Turf Moor.

Zola's side have won just once in ten games as their problems mount but, with new owners David Sullivan and David Gold at the helm, their fans should be confident of forcing a way out of their current malaise.

New signing Benni McCarthy will add some much-needed striking flair and fellow new boy Ilan, who joined the club from St Etienne, scored against Burnley after coming off the bench and could have forced his way into the starting line-up.

On the injury front, Zola still has several first-team players unavailable. Guillermo Franco, Danny Gabbidon and Kieron Dyer (all hamstring) are nearing fitness but the midweek showdown may come too soon for all of them.

Zavon Hines and Luis Boa Morte (both knee) are out for the rest of the season with central defender Calum Davenport still missing after a domestic incident that left him with a serious thigh injury.

Birmingham City are in fantastic form and demonstrated their battling capabilities on Sunday after turning over Wolverhampton Wanderers at St Andrew's.

Kevin Doyle had opened the scoring for Wolves but a late double from veteran forward Kevin Phillips further extended the Blues' fine record of just one defeat in 15 Premier League fixtures.

They sit in eighth position and, with Alex McLeish's main aim at the start of the season to stay in the top-flight, he will be pinching himself following the success of his Midlands outfit so far this term.

The visitors will be without the services of Lee Carsley (ankle), Teemu Tainio (knee) and Garry O'Connor (hip) for the trip to London.