I'm at work right now, so no guarantees of me getting to a news round-up. I'll endeavour to do that, if and when I can. In any event, kickoff's at 6 a.m. PT/9 a.m. ET-- and 1 a.m. Melbourne for this Yank Abroad expat here in Australia. Same-day delayed coverage on Fox Sports World-- at 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET-- but I've got it live here on Fox Sports 1 at the times listed in the paragraph above. Chances aren't good that I won't get to see it, or get home in time to do such, but I might be able to see at least the start of the match from the office here (if they'll let me). If anyone else has other TV and/or webcast info, feel free to post it within...
* * *I'm William, and here's the news* * * I'm at work tonight, so I'll do what I can... [*]Keegan puts future in fans' hands -- sportinglife.com [*]Keegan warns Barton -- sportinglife.com [*]Match preview & OPTA stats -- skysports.com [*]Anelka eyes bigger club -- skysports.com [*]Duo welcome Anelka return -- skysports.com Possible return for France, that is [*]Match preview -- premierleague.com Apologies for no links from this site last night, wouldn't load with my crappy dial-up at home [*]Anelka ruled out of Birmingham clash -- Man City's official site [*]Macken fights on after Keegan chat -- Yahoo's UK site, via TeamTalk [*]Van Buyten chomping at the bit -- Yahoo's UK site, via TeamTalk [*]Keegan says City must build on Spurs heroics -- Yahoo's UK site, via Reuters [*]Tarnat set to miss out -- Yahoo's UK site, via TeamTalk [*]Match preview, complete with facts & figures -- The BBC [*]Match preview -- Manchester Evening News [*]Macken keeps his feet on the ground -- Manchester Evening News [*]Van Buyten's birthday wish -- Manchester Evening News [*]Jon (Macken) looking to grab his big chance -- Manchester Evening News [*]Plenty to shout about -- Manchester Evening News [*]Barton says thanks to comeback kings -- Manchester Evening News
Kick off. Early corner for Man City. Cleared away. Shot by Fowler collected by BC keeper. Stern John tries a cross but it goes behind the goal so goal kick to MC.
Birmingham City 12. Maik Taylor 26. Olivier Tebily 4. Kenny Cunningham 5. Darren Purse 2. Jeff Kenna 10. Bryan Hughes 8. Robbie Savage 22. Damien Johnson 11. Stan Lazaridis 9. Mikael Forssell 14. Stern John Man City 1. David James 3. Daniel Van Buyten 5. Sylvain Distin 22. Richard Dunne 18. Michael Tarnat 10. Antoine Sibierski 6. Claudio Reyna 26. Paul Bosvelt 29. Shaun Wright-Phillips 8. Robbie Fowler 11. Jonathan Macken
Reyna plays a wonderful ball to Wright-Phillips down the right, leads to a corner for MC. Low corner won by Stern John and cleared. Reyna with lots of touches early; mostly on the defensive end. 7 minutes in, 0-0. BC with a couple of crosses into the box but nothing comes of it.
Siberski with a strike that is blocked by Darren Purse who suffers a bit for it. BC is having a struggle against MC at the moment. Stern John has been clattered by Dunne. Knocked the wind out of him.
Free kick to BC, after Savage gets his clock cleaned. Only BC player that seems to be awake at the moment. Ball played back to Calamity James who plays it long. Offsides, Mackem. Free kick to BC. 16 minutes, neither side with a shot on target yet.
MC with the first chance so far, ball takes a deflection of Reyna in a scrum but is collected by BC keeper before it crosses the line. MC with the best chance of the match so far, Mackem plays it in, Siberski with a free header, BC keeper with the excellent save. MC with a lot of possession, culminating in a Fowler shot that goes on the outside of the post. Goal kick.
21 minutes in, 0-0. Corner to BC. Savage takes. Eventually collected by James. Tarnat with a shot on goal but the BC keeper pushes it aside. 25 minutes in, still 0-0. MC play themselves out of trouble with Reyna having some good touches. Both sides giving away possesion rather easily at the moment.
BC with no shots on target yet, MC with a couple of good chances. Corner to BC. Savage takes and collected again by James. Still 0-0. Best chance of the day for BC, Johnson was not ready for the chance from 12 yards out but he shanks it. Reyna described as a "pint sized midfiedler" by the BC announcers.
Siberski with a shot that goes well wide. Blues are soaking up the MC pressure and are quietly trying to establish some momentum. Corner to BC, short corner that goes nowhere but out for a BC throw. 38 minutes in, still 0-0. MC break after Reyna disposses a BC player. But Savage comes back to clear the danger.
Yellow card for Telibly, free kick to MC. Goes out for a goal kick to BC. Still 0-0, 42 minutes in. Not much going on at the moment. Just awaiting halftime. Goal kick to Blues as Mackem cranks one high and wide. Two minutes of stoppage to be added.
ive seen curling matches more exciting than this one. Hopefully, it'll pick up in the second half. Pething how are you seeing this match?
It certainly wont go down as the classic first half in EPL history. I am listening to the Birmingham City pay site. Second half kicks off. John off for Duggary. Reyna and Wright-Phillips seems to connect very well. Many of Reyna's passes go his way. Both teams not doing much so far.
49 minutes in, 0-0. Corner to MC. Savage hoofs it away, Reyna picks it up and MC controls. MC puts it into the mixer but it is cleared away. Fossell with a strike in the box after a good move from Duggarry and a dummy from Hughes. Shot goes wide of the mark. Goal kick to MC.
53 minutes on, still 0-0 Good one two ball picks out Reyna, he finds Fowler on the edge of the area but Fowler is dispossed. Action picking it up a bit as BC, goes straight down and creates a chance for Fossel that leads to nothing. Dunne off for Sun Jihai. Reyna with much more possesion in the second half so far.
Duggarry has made an impact so far for BC. Very active and does good things when he gets it. Created a couple of chances already. MC with a cross ... cleared by a BC defender. Corner kick. Wright Phillips with the cross. 60 minutes in. Corner cleared but MC maintain control. Went and changed the kitty litter ... I missed nothing.
Fowler with a great chance on a nice build up but Savage comes in with the goal saving tackle. Good build up from MC but SAvage saves the day for BC. 65 minutes in. MC with a short corner to Reyna ... Reyna again with another cross into the box. MC pressure leads to nothing as BC keeper collects the shot. Another MC corner. Again, nothing comes of it. Definitely picking up a bit. Duggarry is taken out by Sun Jihai. Not intentional according to BC announcers but Duggarry comes off momentarily
Barton and McManaman about to come on for MC. Reyna off for McManaman, Bosevelt off for Barton. So ends Reyna's day.