TEAM NEWS
Papa Bouba Diop could return to West Ham's starting line-up after his first appearance in three months, following a thigh tear, off the bench at Barnsley.
Right-back Joey O'Brien remains an injury doubt (thigh) so fit-again Guy Demel should stay in the side.
Birmingham midfielder Keith Fahey (groin) returned against Crystal Palace and will be keen to keep his place.
Jonathan Spector (thigh) and Pablo Ibanez (hamstring) are unfit. Stephen Carr (knee) is a long-term absentee.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Birmingham have won 40, West Ham 32 and 21 of 93 competitive meetings over 93 years have been drawn.
• West Ham have won one of the last six league games against Birmingham, who are chasing their third win from those six.
• The first goal in this game will also be the 250th generated in league matches between these sides.
West Ham United
• West Ham returned to winning ways with an emphatic 4-0 away win over Barnsley on Friday. They have been beaten in only one of their last 13 Championship games, and remain four points below the top two.
• Sam Allardyce's side have drawn five of a winless last six at Upton Park, and are chasing their first home league victory since the 2-1 triumph over Millwall on 4 February.
• Their 67 goals have been shared between 21 different scorers (excluding own goals).
Birmingham City
• Birmingham have registered 3-1 wins in their last three outings, and go into their 56th match of the season hoping to complete four successive league wins for the third time this season.
• They are six points inferior to the third placed Hammers immediately above them, and are the third highest scorers in the division with 69 goals, two fewer than Blackpool, and five fewer than Southampton.
• The Blues have picked up only one point in away matches against the top 10 clubs.
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Last edited by Admin on Mon Apr 09, 2012 8:57 am; edited 2 times in total
