McLeish hopes to avoid a Forest ambush by fielding strong side

Birmingham City's third-round replay against the Championship side should provide Alex McLeish with a rare opportunity to change his record-breaking starting line-up

Birmingham City's third-round replay against Championship side Nottingham Forest should provide Alex McLeish with a rare opportunity to change his record-breaking starting line-up tonight. City's 12-game unbeaten run in the Premier League, a sequence of results which has propelled the promoted Midlanders to a lofty eighth position, has coincided with McLeish fielding an unchanged Blues XI in nine consecutive top-flight encounters.

But having rung the changes for his side's goalless draw at the City Ground 10 days ago, McLeish is likely to field a strong line-up, arguably stronger than the one that survived a missed penalty in the original tie. Fringe players Lee Carsley, Stuart Parnaby and Gregory Vignal continue to be ruled out by injury, while new signing Michel is ineligible having not be at the club when the initial tie took place.

One player due a rest, but unlikely to get one, is right-back Stephen Carr. Having been convinced to come out of retirement by McLeish last summer, the 33-year-old Irish defender has produced several impressive displays in City's undefeated run. "It is a long time since we've been beaten," said Carr. "We are enjoying it but we've got to keep it going. There is no reason why we can't stay unbeaten. It's a big month for us with the cup and league games against Tottenham and Chelsea. It's going to be tough, but if we keep applying ourselves the way we have been doing then I don't think we'll have a problem."

The Premier League's bottom club Portsmouth, meanwhile, travel to the Ricoh Arena for their replay against Chris Coleman's fast-improving Coventry City. Having missed the 1-1 draw at Fratton Park, the England goalkeeper, David James, could make a long-awaited return from a calf problem, but Pompey will definitely be without midfield creator Jamie O'Hara, who is ineligible to play under the terms of his loan deal from Tottenham.

In other games, Bristol City face Cardiff and QPR host Sheffield United, Derby welcome League One side Millwall and Brentford entertain Doncaster. Notts County's match against Forest Green has been postponed due to the weather. [e-mail]