Palace v Birmingham City

Selhurst Park, Monday 3.00pm

Crystal Palace

Team news

Ever since Steve “Judas” Bruce packed his bags and moved up north to the smaller team in Birmingham, Palace fans have been waiting for this day to come so to get their own back on Bruce.

Sadly things aren’t going quite as Simon Jordan and the rest of the Palace faithful would have liked. Birmingham currently lie in 6th place, while Palace are in 10th place, six points away from the play-offs.

The Blues are likely to field the same eleven men that beat Grimsby 4-0 on Saturday. With Martin Grainger once again suspended this means Tom Williams will deputise at left back following his recent arrival from Peterborough.

Tommy Mooney should be partnered up front by Stern John, a player Palace were hoping to sign earlier this season before his transfer to Birmingham.

Palace boss Trevor Francis will be looking for a win on Monday more than ever before seeing as it was Birmingham who fired him so to get Steve Bruce.

However Francis has his fair share of injury worries which won’t allow him to field his best possible side.

Kit Symons and Tony Popovic are still out injured with groin problems and so are unlucky to take part. There had been thoughts that Symons would be fit in time for Monday’s clash but he is said to not yet be 100% fully fit.

Julian Gray, Simon Rodger, and Jovan Kirovski will all be looking to gain places in the starting line up having only been on the subs bench against Norwich on Saturday.

Kirovski, a rumoured Birmingham bosman target, is unlikely to get a place in the starting XI, especially if Francis decides to play three up front with Dougie Freedman sitting just behind Clinton Morrison and Ade Akinbiyi.

However Francis could opt for experience in the centre of midfield replacing Stevie Thomson with Simon Rodger. Julian Gray could also get a place in the starting line up on the other hand that would mean a place on the bench for left back Danny Granville.

Birmingham City - league stats

Full league table

Birmingham City - current form

Full form table

Our home record v Birmingham City

Last five results

Date	Type	Home Team	Score	Away Team
11/12/2001	League	Birmingham City	1 - 0	Crystal Palace
06/03/2001	League	Crystal Palace	1 - 2	Birmingham City
14/10/2000	League	Birmingham City	2 - 1	Crystal Palace
22/04/2000	League	Crystal Palace	0 - 2	Birmingham City
16/10/1999	League	Birmingham City	2 - 0	Crystal Palace

All time results

One to watch

Stern John

The former Nottingham Forest striker is the main threat for Bruce's men tomorrow, his strength and pace will cause all sorts of problems for our defence and the power he puts into his shots mean he is always a good bet to be on the scoresheet. The Trinidad and Tobago International was picked up for just £100,000 and has already hit a number of important goals for Brum since his transfer. Due to do well against Palace because we showed an interest in him earlier this season, he will be a handful and he provides a different option to the target men of Horsfield and Mooney.

Last meeting

English Division 1

C Palace 1 (0) Austin 61 Birmingham 2(0) Upson 48 (og) Adebola 59 06-03-2001

C Palace: Kolinko, Karic, Upson, Austin, Fan Zhiyi(Gray,61), Smith, Mullins, Black, Thomson, Forssell (Morrison,80), Freedman(Fuller,80) Subs not used: Frampton, Rubins

Birmingham: Bennett, Eaden, Grainger (Gill,17), Purse, Atherton, Michael Johnson, McCarthy, Woodhouse, Bryan Hughes, Andrew Johnson (Marcelo,84), Horsfield (Adebola,45) Subs not used: Holdsworth, Poole

Bookings: Fan Zhiyi, Upson (C Palace) Horsfield (Birmingham)

Attendance: 13,987

Referee: K Hill (Royston)

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