DID YOU KNOW?
* Chelsea have never lost a league game against Birmingham at Stamford Bridge.
* If Birmingham do win though, then they will complete their first league double over Chelsea since the 1955-56 season.
* The two teams have an identical record for this calendar month, winning two, drawing one, scoring five and conceding two.
* This league campaign is by far Chelsea's worst since being Roman Abramovich's takeover, averaging just 1.9 points per game.
* Without Michael Essien in the side, Chelsea have won just 20 per cent of their games this season.
* The Fernando Torres drought goes on. The Spaniard has failed to net in 702 minutes as a Chelsea player.
* Birmingham have scored the highest percentage of goals from set pieces in the Premier League this season - with 52% of their strikes coming from dead balls.
* Blues are the league's second worst side in front of goal though, with only 33 goals in 32 games.
* Chelsea have picked up a colossal 34 points when winning games at half-time this season - going on to win 11 and draw one.
* Birmingham are on the hunt for their first ever away win in the Premier League on a Wednesday - failing all of the 11 times they have tried so far.
LAST MEETING
November 20, 2010: Birmingham 1 - 0 Chelsea
A Lee Bowyer strike condemned wasteful Chelsea to their third defeat in four outings as Carlo Ancelotti's side just about managed to stay perched on top of the Premier League.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, David Luiz, Terry, Cole; Essien, Ramires, Lampard; Kalou, Drogba, Malouda.
Birmingham: Foster; Carr, Parnaby, Johnson, Ridgewell; Gardner, Bowyer, Ferguson, Larsson, Hleb; Jerome.
Prediction
This month Birmingham have turned around the form that has seen them plummet the depths of the Premier League by snatching a couple of home wins. Away from home they remain weak though, so expect Chelsea to fully crank the pressure up on Arsenal with a comfortable win.
Chelsea 2-0 Birmingham 
