Chelsea can put their indifferent league form to one side as they turn their attentions to Birmingham in the FA Cup. City are the Championship’s form side mainly thanks to their watertight defence which, like Andre Villas-Boas' men, is yet to concede a single goal in this season’s competition.

Match betting

• Chelsea’s 2-0 defeat at Everton extended their winless run in the league to four games, seeing them slip out of the top four in the process. They have already seen off Championship opposition in the FA Cup, beating Portsmouth 4-0 in the third round, but have won just one of their last four home games.
• Birmingham are enjoying a 13-game unbeaten run which has seen them move into the Championship play-off places and within touching distance of the leaders. Like Chelsea, they are yet to concede in this season’s FA Cup and have already upset Premier League opposition in the shape of Midlands rivals Wolves at the second opportunity.
• The visitors have a rotten recent record at Chelsea, losing on five of their last six visits including a 2-0 defeat in their last meeting in this competition seven seasons ago. City have won just once in the sides’ last 19 meetings. 

Chelsea to win at 1/3

Over/under

• Four of Chelsea’s last five games have finished under 2.5 goals though two of their previous three at home have ended over 3.5 goals, as well as their last FA Cup tie at Stamford Bridge.
• Three of Birmingham’s four domestic cup matches have produced under 2.5 goals, while their previous three in the league have all finished under 1.5 goals. City’s last three on the road in all competitions have finished over 3.5 goals.

Under 2.5 goals at 6/5

Correct score

• Chelsea are yet to concede in the FA Cup this season but have kept just one clean sheet in their last five home league games. Their 1-0 win at QPR in the last round is one of seven occasions in which the Blues have netted exactly one goal in their last 12 matches, including four 1-1 draws.
• One team only has scored in Birmingham’s last three league games as well as each of their four domestic cup ties. City’s three draws in their previous ten outings have finished goalless while their last five defeats home and abroad have been by a single-goal margin. Only Hull have conceded fewer than the Blues in the Championship, whose 0-0 draw against the Tigers on Saturday secured their eighth clean sheet in ten games.

One team only to score at Evens

Double result

• Chelsea tend to break the deadlock in the second half with five of their last seven goals in the league coming after the interval while all five in the FA Cup have also come in the second period. The scores have been level at half-time just once in Chelsea’s last five games though four of their five domestic cup matches have been goalless at the break. The Blues haven’t lost any game from a winning position at half-time.
• Birmingham’s last three league games have all been goalless at half-time, as well as two of their three FA Cup matches. City have won the second half in each of their last four in league and cup and haven’t conceded a single goal after the interval in any of their previous 13 games.

Draw 0-0 at half time at 13/5

Goalscorers

• Frank Lampard continues to lead the way for Chelsea with 11 in all competitions, including the winning goal in the Blues’ last two league wins. Daniel Sturridge is one behind Lampard while Ramires and Juan Mata both have eight in total including a couple each in the FA Cup.
• Marlon King tops Birmingham’s scoring charts with 11 in league and cup while Chris Burke and fellow frontman Nikola Zigic have eight apiece. Adam Rooney is one of three players with five under his belt and bagged a brace in City’s 4-0 win at Sheffield United in the last round.

Juan Mata to score the last goal at 6/1

Key men

• Juan Mata has been a rare highlight in a difficult season so far for the Blues, particularly at Stamford Bridge. The Spaniard scored one and set up another against Manchester United while all eight of his goals have come in West London; seven at home while the other came across town at Loftus Road, netting the winner against QPR from the spot to seal the Blues’ passage to this stage.
• Nathan Redmond has caught the eye since breaking into the Birmingham first-team and is one of the most highly-rated youngsters outside the top flight right now. The 17-year-old has netted twice in his last four games, including the opener in their fourth round win at Sheffield United, and Redmond’s pace could trouble a Chelsea defence that has proved anything but watertight.

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