Birmingham hasn’t had a season worth talking about and we are pretty sure that the trend is not likely to change, unless a miracle happens. Moreover, the boys have taken such a heavy beating that they haven’t recovered yet. In fact, they seem impervious to any inspirational talk that can lift them up from the dumps to perform brilliantly against Liverpool, who seems good enough to bulldoze Birmingham city into submission. The European champions have everything going their way when they pummeled Manchester United and put up a clinical display against Fulham as well as Newcastle. Right now, there is little chance that they would let Birmingham city get away with anything other than a loss.

However, one thing Birmingham city can lean back on is their recent history against the Reds. They have been undefeated in the last four encounters with Rafa’s boys. And, this would be the only cause of concern for Benitez. The five-time European champion is definitely going into the match pumped-up and by no means, complacent. The Reds are still one of the favorites to win the Premier League.

Benitez would take solace from the fact that they have not been defeated by the Blues in the last seven FA Cup matches and the only match they had lost was way back in 1931. And, this will only be the second instance when the two sides play at St. Andrews. The last time they had played here in 1995, the match had resulted in a goalless draw. However, Liverpool had managed to make it through by way of penalties. This time around, Liverpool would look to win more convincingly, going by their current form.

In the recent games, Birmingham City has struggled heavily to make it to the quarterfinals. With two replays against low-profile opposition, only Mikael Forssell’s brilliance had helped the side defeat Stoke City in the previous round. On the other hand, as mentioned earlier, Liverpool have struck a purple patch and treated us to some wonderful football, defeating Luton 5-3 at Kenilworth Road after being 3-1 down. Against Portsmouth, they had won convincingly 2-1, while denting the reputation of Manchester United badly in the previous round. However, Garreth is still wary of the Blues and he is not going to take them lightly.

If you take a look at the two sides, there is every reason for you to believe that the match is going to swing heavily in favor of Liverpool. With a consistent record of 8 goals per week, Liverpool is all set to take home the silverware. And in all likelihood, it is going to be the second team after West Ham United to make it to the semi-finals. However, Birmingham is banking on the fact that Liverpool looks drained out after its first few matches. And, the Reds are making no pretence about it. In fact, they have already begun to cringe about the packed fixture. However, we may never know till the match is over. Birmingham City, on the other hand, has nothing to lose, which is a good reason for them to play with all their heart and put in a decent show.

Bettors would have no confusion about their odds. So far, the 8 goals scored by the Blues are enough to propel them for more. Betting on 2 and more goals would certainly be profitable. With Crouch and Gerrard finding form at the right time, and Forssell also back in his elements, it is a cinch that the trio would be the top guys to wager on. At the same time, Pennant is also looking good and the Hotshots look good at 24-27 points.