FA Cup History
12 Jan 1907 R1 Liverpool 2-1 Birmingham C
21 Feb 1920 R3 Liverpool 2-0 Birmingham C
21 Feb 1925 R3 Liverpool 2-1 Birmingham C
10 Jan 1931 R3 Liverpool 0-2 Birmingham C
01 Mar 1947 R6 Liverpool 4-1 Birmingham C
07 Jan 1995 R3 Birmingham C 0-0 Liverpool
18 Jan 1995 R3 R Liverpool 1-1 Birmingham C
Liverpool won 2-0 on penalties
05 Jan 2002 R3 Liverpool 3-0 Birmingham C

Birmingham City are 19th in the league and looking square in the face of Premiership relegation. Emile Heskey will line up against the club for which he was signed for £11 million by Gerard Houllier.

Birmingham have been runners up twice - the reds have won it 6 times.

Preview

Robbie Fowler is cup tied, but Liverpool may opt to play the 4-5-1 / 3-5-2 formation that was used against Newcastle. All three available strikers have been scoring and Xabi Alonso is expected to return to the centre of midfield.

Betting

The spread betting on a Liverpool win is 17.5-19 (with 25 points for a win). A £1 stake will win you £6 if the reds win.

The spread for total goal minutes is 115-125 (the total is arrived at by adding up the times of all goals scored). We hope the reds are going to continue their scoring streak preferably late on. A £1 bet and a couple of goals in the last quarter of an hour could net you at least £25. Obviously if it's 0-0 your in trouble... unless you sold the spread in which case enjoy your £115.

Liverpool are overwhelmingly the bookies favourites for this clash with odds of 3/4.
Now might be a good time to back the reds to win the FA Cup at 23/8.

Sp Index are giving away a free £150 bet after 5 bets when you open a new account - click here for more information

Anfield Online verdict

The potential for a banana skin, especially with an old boy Emile Heskey about. Liverpool should win though and seal their progress to the FA Cup Semi-Finals. My verdict 2-1 to the reds.

Dave Lawson
Anfield Online

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