Barclays Premier League
Venue: Stamford Bridge Date: Wednesday, 28 January Kick-off: 1945 GMT
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, full commentary on BBC London DAB and DSAT & highlights on Match of the Day
TEAM NEWS
**Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has overcome a calf strain and will play against Birmingham.**Ashley Cole returns from an ankle problem, but Juliano Belletti is out for a month with a knee injury.
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish could name an unchanged side for the tenth successive league game.
Striker Cameron Jerome has recovered from the ankle injury that forced him to miss Saturday’s FA Cup win at Everton.
Chelsea
Suspended: None Doubtful: None
Injured/unavailable: Belletti, Bosingwa & Essien (all knee), Drogba, Kalou & Mikel (all Africa Cup of Nations)
Birmingham
Suspended: None Doubtful: None
Injured: Carsley (ankle), Murphy & Tainio (both knee), O’Connor (hip), Parnaby (back), Phillips (groin)
MATCH PREVIEW
Chelsea were top of the table after their seven-goal haul in their last Premier League match yet now find themselves down in third.
“We will lose a game one day, I can guarantee you that, but I would back these boys to come back from the set-back because I know the character and power we have in that dressing room”
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish
Unlike their two main rivals, Carlo Ancelotti’s men cruised into the fifth round of the FA Cup over the weekend, which could leave them playing catch-up just as the title race reaches a crucial phase.
Yet they look confident, are unbeaten in six league matches and have scored 14 goals in their three games without Didier Drogba - so much for missing their leader scorer while he was at the Africa Cup of Nations.
However, they face another Blues side in form - Birmingham are on a club record unbeaten run of 12 games in the league.
They are also the only team in any competition to have prevented Ancelotti’s men from scoring this season.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Birmingham have not beaten Chelsea in any of the last 16 meetings in all competitions (D5, L11).
• Birmingham ended Chelsea’s run of scoring in 34 consecutive games when they held them to a 0-0 draw at St Andrew’s on Boxing Day.
• Chelsea twice came from behind to beat Birmingham 3-2 when the teams met at Stamford Bridge last season.
• Birmingham are the only team to have prevented Chelsea from scoring in the Premier League this season.
606: DEBATE
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Chelsea
• Chelsea have the best home record in the Premier League, having won 31 of a possible 33 points available at Stamford Bridge. Their only dropped points were in a 3-3 draw against Everton in December.
• They have scored 34 goals in 11 home league matches this season, equal-most with Arsenal.
• Chelsea have kept 10 clean sheets this season, more than any other side in the division.
• John Terry is set to make his 300th league appearance.
Birmingham
• The Blues set a new club record in the top flight last time out against Manchester United, their 1-1 draw meaning they have gone 12 games unbeaten.
• Birmingham are unbeaten in their last five away matches in the Premier League.
• They have kept nine clean sheets in the league this season - only Manchester United and Chelsea (both 10) have kept more in the division.
• Cameron Jerome has scored four goals in the club’s last five league matches.
LEADING GOALSCORERS
Chelsea
Drogba: 19 goals (14 league); Lampard: 11 goals (8 league); Anelka: 11 goals (7 league)
Birmingham
Bowyer: 6 goals (5 league); Jerome: 5 goals (5 league)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Steve Bennett
Assistant referees: Martin Yerby & Stuart Burt
Fourth official: Kevin Friend
LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
**Chelsea **(W7-2 v Sunderland, h): Cech; Ivanovic, Carvalho, Terry (Alex 46), A Cole (Zhirkov 46); Ballack, Belletti, Lampard, J Cole, Anelka, Malouda. Subs not used: Hilario, Ferreira, Sturridge, Matic, Borini.
**Birmingham **(L1-1 v Man Utd, a): Hart; Carr, Dann, R Johnson, Ridgewell, Bowyer, Larsson (Fahey 84), Ferguson, Jerome, Benitez, McFadden. Subs not used: Martin Taylor, Maik Taylor, Phillips, McSheffrey, Queudrue, Parnaby.
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