Birmingham v Chelsea Match Preview: Anelka Out For Pensioners

Birmingham City v Chelsea Match Preview:

Premier League leaders Chelsea travel to St Andrews on Saturday to face Birmingham City in their Premiership match on Boxing Day.

Birmingham City, currently in 7th place in the EPL, have been on excellent form recently, having won five of their last six matches, and City boss Alex McLeish will be hoping to name an unchanged side for the match against Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

City defenders Liam Ridgewell (ankle) and Roger Johnson (knee) will face late fitness-tests after suffering injuries during last Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Everton.

Chelsea are expected to feature Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou in the match, prior to the pair leaving to join the Cote D’Ivoire squad in preparation for the African Cup of Nations in Angola in January, but will be without fellow striker Nicolas Anelka.

The French forward will miss the match with a calf muscle problem, and will also miss Chelsea’s derby match against local rivals Fulham on Monday evening.

He joins Michael Essien (hamstring), Jose Bosingwa (knee) and Deco on the Chelsea sidelines.

Birmingham City Squad (team to be chosen from): Hart, Carr, Roger Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Larsson, Ferguson, Bowyer, McFadden, Jerome, Benitez, Carsley, Damien Johnson, Maik Taylor, Fahey, Vignal, Queudrue, Phillips, Parnaby, McSheffrey.

Chelsea Squad (team to be chosen from): Cech, Hilario, Turnbull, Ivanovic, Belletti, Alex, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Lampard, Ballack, Obi, Malouda, Joe Cole, Zhirkov, Drogba, Kalou, Bruma, Borini, Sturridge, Matic, Kakuta.

Saturday’s Premier League fixtures:

Saturday 26th December 2009