Only goal difference separates Birmingham from the relegation zone, and yet the Blues have lost only once at home this season, and include Chelsea among their victims at St Andrew's, while Manchester United and Tottenham both had to settle for draws in Birmingham's two most recent home games.
Indeed, although Arsenal sit third in the table, they have lost as many games (five) as Alex McLeish's side. The reason for Birmingham's precarious position is too few goals: they've only mustered 18 in 18 matches, nine at home and nine away, but have proved difficult to beat, as 10 draws confirms.
And draws have proved costly to Arsenal's title ambitions on their last two trips to St Andrew's. In February 2008, the Gunners were on course to extend a healthy lead at the top of the table until Birmingham equalised with virtually the last kick of the match from James McFadden's controversially awarded penalty, prompting then-Arsenal captain William Gallas's infamous one-man sit-in on the pitch. That was the match in which Eduardo suffered his horrific leg-break.
And the Londoners' bad memories of St Andrew's were scarcely banished when, in March of this year, they were again denied victory by another late goal - this time scored by substitute Kevin Phillips as Bacary Sagna's clearance deflected off him into the net in the second minute of stoppage-time.
So although Arsenal are unbeaten in their last seven meetings with Birmingham, who have beaten the Gunners just once in 13 Premier League meetings (at St Andrew's in May 2005), McLeish will be confident his troops can again thwart Wenger's plans. Indeed, the Scot, while acknowledging his team's lack of potency in front of goal, is upbeat about the prospect of making life difficult for the Gunners.
Recalling the 2-1 away defeat earlier this season, McLeish told the Blues' website: "We've already gone toe-to-toe with Arsenal at the Emirates this season. We played a good game and particularly a good first half. We should have been going in at half time with a lead but the [penalty] decision went against us and we lost a sloppy goal just after half time.
"Arsenal had a good spell after that, but we were always in the game at 2-1. At St. Andrew's we obviously have a spring in our step and feel a bit more confident. Although we're playing another potential Barclays Premier League champion it won't stop our players having a go.
"We've always made ourselves very difficult to beat and St. Andrew's has been a bit of a fortress. These are the advantages you get at home, when you have your home crowd behind you. We have a good record here and have got a reputation of making it tough for people. Arsene Wenger said that himself last time he was here and that is music to our ears. Sir Alex [Ferguson] has also said it and we've got to maintain that reputation at our place."
Time For Arsenal To Demonstrate Defensive Solidity
Having swept aside Chelsea earlier in the week, Arsenal blew the chance to go joint top of the table by dropping points at Wigan. Wenger made eight changes to his starting XI in an attempt to freshen things up, but it backfired as the rejigged team put in a disjointed, below-par performance and had to settle for a draw.
Many Arsenal fans will have wondered if the manager grasped the irony of calling for consistency to build on the Chelsea win, then making wholesale changes in his own team selection and paying a price. Wenger defended his decisiopn, insisting his squad had to be rotated with the games coming thick and fast. That is debatable; despite the modern mantra that football is a squad game, the adage that you don't change a winning team still resonates with many.
He will certainly be looking for a winning New Year's Day performance at St Andrew's, latterly something of a bogey ground for Arsenal, who entertain joint-leaders Manchester City three days later.
Worryingly for Wenger, the game at Wigan underlined ongoing issues that could yet conspire to rob the Gunners of the title once again. They have too often seemed susceptible to throwing away leads, usually because of sloppy goals conceded - often from set-pieces - which have begged questions about leadership, or the lack of it, in their defence. Neither Squillaci nor Laurent Koscielny have yet convinced in central defence, highlighting the void that Vermaelen's absence since August has created.
These are issues that the Gunners need to address urgently, particularly as the Blues' giant Serbian striker, Zigic, will relish the chance to exploit their vulnerability in the air.
TEAM NEWS
Birmingham City
Blues manager Alex McLeish has no fresh injury concerns to deal with following his team's dramatic encounter against league leaders Manchester United, when they salvaged a vital point with a hotly-debated last-gasp equaliser.
However, the Scot suggested on his club's official website that he could make "one or two tactical changes" for the visit of Arsenal.
Those changes could see ex-Gunner Aliaksandr Hleb, a 70th minute substitute against United, given a starting role if he has fully recovered from his hamstring problem. Nikola Zigic, another late substitute against United, who was heavily and controversially involved in the build-up to Lee Bowyer's stoppage-time goal, could also be restored to the starting XI. Zigic scored his first goal for the club against Arsenal, opening the scoring at the Emirates in October before Marouane Chamakh netted twice, once from the spot, to secure a narrow home win.
James McFadden (knee) and Enric Valles (fractured foot) are both still sidelined with through injury.
Possible starting XI: Foster; Carr, Johnson, Ridgewell, Dann; Larsson, Bowyer, Ferguson, Gardner; Zigic, Jerome.
Arsenal
Having made a raft of changes for Wednesday's game at Wigan, in which the Gunners surrendered the lead late on through a Sebastien Squillaci own goal, manager Arsene Wenger will probably make several more for the visit to St Andrew's in an attempt to secure all three points.
Captain Cesc Fabregas missed the draw at Wigan through suspension but will be available again to face the Blues, while the likes of Gael Clichy, Johan Djourou, Alex Song, Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott, Samir Nasri and Robin van Persie - who all started in the impreessive 3-1 victory over defending champions Chelsea - should all be back in contention.
However, injury-plagued midfielder Abou Diaby is ruled out after suffering a calf strain against Wigan. The Frenchman had only just recovered from an ankle injury but could be sidelined for a further three weeks. Also out are long-term injury victims Thomas Vermaelen, Manuel Almunia, Kieran Gibbs and Emmanuel Frimpong.
Possible starting XI: Fabianski; Sagna, Djourou, Koscielny, Clichy; Song, Fabregas, Wilshere; Walcott, Van Persie, Nasri.
Prediction
Christmas produced a mixed bag of results for Arsenal, with a memorable victory over champions Chelsea followed by a disappointing draw against 10-man Wigan. That draw meant Arsenal wasted the chance to join the two Manchester clubs at the top of the table, while Birmingham were delighted with their draw 24 hours earlier - against Manchester United.
The Blues are now looking to add the Gunners to their list of impressive results at St Andrew's, where they've proved hard to beat and where the Londoners have been frustrated on their last two visits.
The two teams are at opposite ends of the table but a close contest is in prospect, one that could go either way given Arsenal's impressive away record but unimpressive defending.
They've conceded in each of their last seven Premier League matches, representing their longest run without a clean sheet for more than six years. If Birmingham score against them on Saturday, it will be their longest such sequence since an 11-match run from December 2001 to February 2002 - though they did finish that season as Double winners. On the other hand, Birmingham are unlikely to enjoy a goal glut against them - they've managed only nine goals at home this season.
However, only Everton have beaten the Blues at St Andrew's this term, so the fixture is finely balanced. If Wenger picks his strongest XI, Arsenal could just nick the win they need to ensure the good work against Chelsea is not promptly undone.
The Blues are now looking to add the Gunners to their list of impressive results at St Andrew's, where they've proved hard to beat and where the Londoners have been frustrated on their last two visits.
The two teams are at opposite ends of the table but a close contest is in prospect, one that could go either way given Arsenal's impressive away record but unimpressive defending.
They've conceded in each of their last seven Premier League matches, representing their longest run without a clean sheet for more than six years. If Birmingham score against them on Saturday, it will be their longest such sequence since an 11-match run from December 2001 to February 2002 - though they did finish that season as Double winners. On the other hand, Birmingham are unlikely to enjoy a goal glut against them - they've managed only nine goals at home this season.
However, only Everton have beaten the Blues at St Andrew's this term, so the fixture is finely balanced. If Wenger picks his strongest XI, Arsenal could just nick the win they need to ensure the good work against Chelsea is not promptly undone.
Birmingham 1-2 Arsenal 
