McLeish's challenge for Blues

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish has challenged his misfiring side to remain unbeaten for the rest of the season to prevent the campaign fizzling out.

Blues host Arsenal tomorrow aiming to recover from successive away defeats, which has had the critics suggesting their season was petering out after hitting the 40-point safety mark.

But McLeish is determined not to allow the campaign to drift to conclusion and wants his players to end the season on a high.

He said: "I said to them why can't we believe we can go undefeated for the last seven games? We've proved before we can go on a long run of games without losing, so I'm challenging them to do that.

"We've had a couple of disappointments and you go through periods like this. You have a bit of bad luck in terms of every little error results in a goal, and that's what's happening to us just now.

"But I feel we've earned the right to be where we are at the moment. It has been a marvellous performance level by the players and their mental strength - and they've just got to fight this one through as well.

"The Arsenal game is a huge one for us to respond in. We've done it before, going on a long unbeaten run – why not again?"

McLeish, who has a fully fit squad to choose from, remains happy with his players.

He said: "I don't think they have become bad players overnight and put the tools away. They've just had an element of bad luck. I would be really worried if we were playing poorly. We're not."

Blues have conceded goals after five minutes and have been two down inside 22 minutes in their last two games against Everton and Sunderland.

But McLeish has denied they are slow starters.

He said: "It was just bad defending as a group which is unlike us. We were more open than usual at the weekend.

"But it's not a surprise to me we've had a few sticky results, because we're still inexperienced."