Birmingham v Stoke preview

Birmingham newcomer Obafemi Martins is included in the squad for the first time for after the Nigerian obtained a visa this week. Blues boss Alex McLeish has to decide whether to start Martins or put him on the substitutes' bench, with the former Newcastle forward having not played competitively for two months. McLeish has a full squad to choose from with the exception of long-term injury victims James McFadden and Scott Dann. Goalkeeper Ben Foster has recovered from the thumb injury which prevented him being involved in England's midweek friendly in Denmark. Stoke's Mamady Sidibe has suffered another injury setback and looks set for an extended spell on the sidelines. Sidibe has been missing for five and a half months but scored for the reserves against Burton before injuring his Achilles in training on Thursday. Ricardo Fuller is back after compassionate leave and will be battling for a place in attack alongside Kenwyne Jones, Jon Walters and John Carew. Birmingham (from): Foster, Carr, Johnson, Jiranek, Davies, Ridgewell, Bentley, Gardner, Ferguson, Bowyer, Jerome, Zigic, Martins, Doyle, Parnaby, Murphy, Fahey, Larsson, Hleb, Beausejour, Mutch, Phillips, Derbyshire. Stoke (from): Begovic, Sorensen; Huth, Shawcross, Wilkinson, Higginbotham, Faye, Collins; Wilson, Delap, Pugh, Whitehead, Whelan, Pennant, Etherington; Jones, Fuller, Walters, Carew.