Alexander Hleb misses derby clash

Birmingham midfielder Alexander Hleb has lost his fight to return from injury in the West Midlands derby against Albion at St Andrew's.

The on-loan Barcelona midfielder needs another fortnight to recover from the knee problem that has kept him out for the last two weeks.

It's further heartbreak for Hleb after being forced to sit out the Carling Cup final win last Sunday, having picked up the injury in the FA Cup against Sheffield Wednesday the previous weekend.

And two more of Blues' cup heroes, Barry Ferguson and Craig Gardner, are also doubts for the derby tomorrow.

Ferguson played the final hour of the final with a broken rib, while Gardner had to be substituted early in the second-half.

But winger David Bentley and defender Curtis Davies - a former Albion captain - come back into the reckoning after being cup-tied at Wembley.