The blues are unbeaten in four games but have still managed just one victory all season and are yet to record a win away from home in 2004. Southampton are also struggling of late and have not won in the seven games since new manager Steve Wigley took over.

Brett Ormerod returns to the Southampton squad after his loan spell at Leeds United but defenders Graeme Le Saux and Chris Baird are doubtful through injury. James Beattie, Kevin Phillips and ex-Villa beanpole Peter Crouch are also sidelined so Southampton will rely heavily on the returning Ormerod up front especially due to the fact that the saints have  scored just one goal in the last five games.

Blues have no fresh injury worries ahead of Sundays game. Stan Lazaridis and Muzzy Izzet are both expected to miss the game although Stephen Clemence could return if he passes a fitness test. Clinton Morrison and Mikael Forssell are the only other absentees from the blues squad.

Manager Steve Bruce has hinted that Darren Anderton could be handed his first Premiership start for the blues in place of Jesper Gronkjaer or Damien Johnson after his good performance against Manchester United last weekend:

"Darren Anderton is right in the forefront of my mind and he has a great chance to start."

"He's done everything we've asked of him and he's been patient. It's fantastic when you've got somebody like him with his experience to come in because he can play anywhere along the middle because he is a very good footballer." Said Bruce.

But Bruce accepts that although Southampton are struggling in the bottom three at the moment the game will not be an easy one:

"Make no mistake they'll be fighting for their lives. They've only picked up a few points and have slipped into the bottom three so they'll be wanting to get a result".

A win is what blues must go in search of though as they hope to improve on their current points tally of just 8 points. If blues are to win on the south coast though it will be for the first time since they won 1-0 in May 1983. Both teams have just one win to their names so far this season so it is a massive game for both clubs. Bruce will make sure his team set out their stall to frustrate Southampton and hope to grab a goal or two on the break. If Bruce goes with Dunn, Gray, Yorke and Heskey it will be an attack minded team who certainly have the ability to get the goals to fire blues to their first away win in 2004.

Expected line ups:

Blues:
Taylor, Melchiot, Cunningham, Upson, Gray, Johnson, Savage, Anderton, Dunn, Yorke, Heskey.

Southampton:
Niemi, Kenton, Nilsson, Jakobsson, Claude Van Damme, Anders Svensson, Delap, Prutton, McCann, Best, Ormerod.

Interesting Stats:

• Maik Taylor faces one of his former clubs.
• Blues have never beaten Southampton at the St Mary's stadium.
• Blues have not beaten Southampton away since 1983.
• Blues have not won away since beating Leicester City in December 2003..
  

Latest Odds:

BNO Top Tip:

Both Blues and Southampton have been struggling to score goals recently but if you look at the players both teams have got Blues look a lot more likely to get some goals. So the first away win of 2004 could be on the cards on Sunday. A 2-0 score-line at 11/1 looks decent and as for a goal-scorer Yorke seems the most likely to score on the basis of the last few games and at 6/1 is worth a shout.

Blues to win 2-0 and Dwight Yorke to score the 1st goal - 40/1 (Odds taken from Sportingodds.Com)