[EPL] Birmingham 1-1 Man Utd

[Red Army]

Birmingham ya ?
berat nih....The Brummies jadi kuda hitam sekarang & berhasil merangsek ke posisi tengah

[pweechevalier]

Ow lawan City ditunda yah??
Klo gitu kita fokus aja buat lawan Birmingham...
Birmingham lagi bagus, mana kita tandang pula...
Tapi BELIEVE dong United bakal menang...
Gak banyak2 menangnya...
Birmingham 1 vs 2 United

wisnu cimol

[hendiplast]

Manchester United ready for tough Birmingham test, says Alex Ferguson

• Ferguson says standard of Premier League has improved
• Alex McLeish lauded for doing a 'fantastic job'



Sir Alex Ferguson says Manchester United are ready for a tough test against Birmingham. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images

Sir Alex Ferguson will be on his guard against Birmingham City, saying manager Alex McLeish is doing a "fantastic job".

A measure of Birmingham's progress will come on Saturday when they host Manchester United in the Premier League. After losing to Ferguson's side on the opening day of the season they have now gone unbeaten in 11 top-flight games. It is a remarkable run considering it is their first season back in the top flight after finishing runners-up to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Championship last season.

McLeish, who played under Ferguson at Aberdeen nearly 30 years ago, has turned things around after arriving as manager in November 2007. The Scot overcame relegation in his first season to steer the club straight back up again. Now Birmingham are eighth in the table and are only five points off a Champions League place.

"There is an improvement in the league. You have to assess it that way, " said Ferguson. "Look at Birmingham and the fantastic job Alex McLeish has done. He only had a small amount of money to budget with when they came into the Premier League.

"He brought Barry Ferguson down from Rangers and brought in the centre-half from Cardiff [Roger Johnson]. He has used players who have been there for a long time now. What he has done has been marvellous."

Ferguson added: "They are now eighth in the league and have gone 11 games without defeat. It tells you that Birmingham had to improve as a team from last season. They have done that remarkably well.

"The general standard of the league has improved. That is why you are getting so many different results."


guardian.co.uk/football

[B4YU]

moga2 saljunya dah berhenti tapi perkiraan di beberapa hari berikutnya masih turun salju...

dan yg jelasnya suhunya masih di kisaran 0 derajat C

http://uk.weather.com/weather/10day-Manchester-UKXX0092

[drivemein]

McLeish has done an Eck of a job at Birmingham: Fergie
-belfasttelegraph.co.uk-



Sir Alex Ferguson will be on his guard against Birmingham, claiming Blues boss Alex McLeish is doing a “fantastic job”.

A measure of the St Andrew's club's progress will come on Saturday when they host Manchester United in the Barclays Premier League.

McLeish, who played under Ferguson during his trophy-laden spell at Aberdeen, has turned things around after arriving as manager in November 2007.

The Scot shrugged off the disappointment of relegation in his first season to steer the club straight back up again.

Now Birmingham lie eighth in the table and are only five points off a Champions League place.

Ferguson believes McLeish has to be complimented on the way he goes about his business.

“There is an improvement in the league, “ said the United manager.

“Look at Birmingham for instance and the fantastic job Alex McLeish has done.

“He only had a small amount of money to budget with when they came into the Premier League.

“And he has used players who

have been there for a long time now.

“What he has done has been marvellous.”

[drivemein]

Birmingham duo to miss Man United clash
-soccernet.espn.go.com-



Experienced Birmingham City duo Lee Carsley and Stuart Parnaby have been ruled out of Saturday's home Premier League clash against Manchester United through injury.

Midfielder Carsley suffered ankle ligament ligament damage during the FA Cup tie with Nottingham Forest while full-back Parnaby pulled a back muscle in the goalless draw at the City Ground.

Blues boss Alex McLeish is refusing to put a time-scale on how long the duo will be out of action except to confirm they will not be fit to face the Red Devils.

McLeish said: "Lee and Stuart are both out for Saturday. We've not put a timescale on when they'll be fit again.

"Lee has got an ankle ligament injury and Stuart has pulled a muscle in his back, so we're not sure how long they'll be sidelined for."

Parnaby made a rare start against Forest as regular right-back Stephen Carr was serving a one game ban for incurring five bookings during the current campaign.

Carsley has had to play second fiddle to the Lee Bowyer-Barry Ferguson partnership for most of the campaign.

But the duo are still considered as important back-up players by McLeish who is continuing to step up his search to bring in new blood during the January transfer window.

Sporting Gijon midfielder Michel is close to finalising a deal to move to St. Andrews while McLeish is understood to have put in a bid - believed to be around £11 million - for Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones.

[drivemein]

McLeish out to beat Fergie
-premierleague.com-



Alex McLeish wants to get one over Sir Alex Ferguson but still holds his old manager in the highest regard.

In-form Birmingham City host an out-of-sorts Manchester United at St Andrews on Saturday, with the Blues having gone 11 matches unbeaten in a campaign that has exceeded all expectations to date.

As a player McLeish achieved great success when under Ferguson's tutelage at Aberdeen, before following in the footsteps of many of the veteran Scots' protégés by breaking into management himself.

He enjoyed success with Motherwell, Hibernian, Glasgow Rangers and Scotland before taking charge of Birmingham in November 2007.

Like Steve Bruce, Roy Keane and Paul Ince, McLeish has never beaten his former taskmaster as a manager and he says it remains a burning ambition.

Got Millions

"The big one for all of us who have played for Sir Alex is to beat him - but you're not allowed," said McLeish.

"I've never done it. We lost 1-0 at Ibrox in the Champions League when I was manager of Rangers and then got thumped 3-0 down the road.

"I've lost two games since I've been here at Birmingham - both 1-0 - so I'm getting closer.

"I do pick up the phone to him sometimes and I get phone-calls from him.

"We all like to think 'I'm his best protégé' or 'I'm his best pal' but he's got millions and they are not only players who've played for him.

"The amount of managers who phone him or are friendly with him is incredible and they revere him."

United beat Birmingham 1-0 on the opening day of the season, with Wayne Rooney's 99th goal for the club proving the difference between the two teams.

[B4YU]

Birmingham game going ahead

Birmingham City are "extremely confident" Saturday's match at St Andrew's (kick-off 17:30 GMT) will go ahead, despite recent adverse weather.

A statement on the club's official website reads: "Discussions have taken place with the local authorities, the emergency services and the Premier League and there is nothing to prevent the match taking place at present.

"The club’s undersoil heating system means there are no problems at all with the pitch. Blues will continue to talk to the relevant authorities and monitor weather reports."

United fans due to travel to St Andrew's are encouraged to keep an eye on www.manutd.com and www.bcfc.com for further updates.

http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={F9E570E6-407E-44BC-800F-4A3110258114}&newsid=6644720

[B4YU]

Vidic blow as defence recovers

Sir Alex Ferguson will have the rare luxury of a fully fit back four for the trip to Birmingham on Saturday, although the United boss must do without Nemanja Vidic for up to ten days.

The Serbian visited a specialist on Wednesday for a full diagnosis of the nerve problem down the side of his right leg which ruled him out of the FA Cup third round defeat to Leeds. However, the injury isn't considered serious and Vidic could return for the Carling Cup semi-final, first leg tie with Manchester City at Eastlands on Tuesday 19 January.

“During the warm-up against Leeds, he felt a problem in the nerve,” explained Sir Alex. “It’s something which has been a recent problem for him and he just didn’t feel confident enough to play. I understand that because it’s painful. We sent him to a specialist to get the problem diagnosed and we know what exercises he needs to do now. It’s not a long-term issue and we can control it.”

On Saturday the Reds will still be without first-choice men Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Edwin van der Sar, who remains in Holland. But Jonny Evans and Wes Brown are both fit and will occupy the two centre-back positions at St. Andrew's against Alex McLeish’s in-form side.

The centre-half situation looks a lot healthier than in recent weeks, however, and it could be significantly bolstered in the next fortnight with Vidic’s impending return and news that Ferdinand is possibly only two weeks away from resuming duties for the first time since defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on 25 October.

Another player making a significant strides towards full recovery is Owen Hargreaves. The midfielder, who has been out for 16 months following double knee surgery, has started training with the Reserves.

http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={F9E570E6-407E-44BC-800F-4A3110258114}&newsid=6644780

[B4YU]

dari official BPL.........

Referee : Mark Clattenburg

Birmingham City (8th) v Manchester United (2nd)

Birmingham City have won three of their last four at St Andrew's and are second in the current form table. The champions have lost three of six on the road.

Birmingham team news

Birmingham defender Stephen Carr will return after suspension for the match with Manchester United on Saturday evening.

Carr missed the goalless away draw with Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup while serving a one-match ban for incurring five bookings.

Manager Alex McLeish will have to reorganise his bench as fringe players Lee Carsley, Stuart Parnaby and Gregory Vignal are all ruled out through injury - but number two goalkeeper Maik Taylor has recovered from a back problem after having an injection as City look to extend their unbeaten league run to 12 matches.

Man Utd team news

Jonny Evans will partner Wes Brown in central defence as Manchester United look to get their season back on track by beating Birmingham at St Andrew's on Saturday evening.

With Nemanja Vidic (leg) joining Rio Ferdinand (back) on the sidelines, Sir Alex Ferguson will turn to the duo even though they were at the heart of a defence breached by Leeds last Sunday.

Paul Scholes (hip) is fit, while new arrival Mame Biram Diouf has gained clearance to play and, having been allocated Carlos Tevez's old shirt number (32), could be involved.

squads

Birmingham City: Hart, Maik Taylor, Doyle, Carr, R Johnson, Dann, Queudrue, Martin Taylor, Ridgewell, Larsson, Ferguson, Bowyer, McFadden, Fahey, D Johnson, McSheffrey, Jerome, Benitez, Phillips.

Manchester United: Kuszczak, Foster, Neville, Rafael, De Laet, Brown, Evra, Fabio, Valencia, Park, Carrick, Fletcher, Scholes, Anderson, Gibson, Giggs, Obertan, Rooney, Berbatov, Owen, Welbeck, Diouf, Tosic.