BIRMINGHAM VS. EVERTON- NEWS, ODDS AND BETTING TIPS

Mid-table Birmingham play host to bottom of the table Everton this afternoon in what is simply a must win encounter for the Toffees
A trip to the fortress that is St Andrew's is possibly the last fixture David Moyes' Everton need right now, however this is a good team, and they are led by a great manager.
Having the unenviable statistic of being the only side in the Football League without a victory this season, the Toffees will head out today knowing that anything less than a win simply will not do.
Birmingham, on the other end of the spectrum, equalled a club record last weekend of 18 top-flight home league matches without defeat.
Everton's woeful start to the season can be put down to the team's repeated failure to find the back of the net, having not scored in four of their six Premier League encounters.
From a team line up perspective- Birmingham are without suspended Craig Gardner, with Keith Fahey expected to be recalled to the left-side of midfield, with Lee Bowyer moving to centre.
For Everton, David Moyes is keeping his cards close to his chest refusing to name a starting XI, with Tony Hibbert expected to make a return from a groin injury, and Leon Osman still a concern with bruised ribs.
Despite this game suggesting that a Birmingham win is a given, the bookies are aware of the Toffee's ability to fight back, and as such William Hill has both of these clubs listed as 2.7, with a draw at 3.1
On the score prediction front, both of these teams have struggled this season meaning that a low scoring affair is very much a high likelihood.
A 1-0 win the way of the Toffees is set at 7.0, with a 7.5 towards Birmingham. If these teams are to find a 2-0 scenario Everton can be locked in at an enticing 12.0, with Birmingham even better at 15!
For the Everton goalscorer bet- Yakubu is hot favourite to find the net at 2.5, with Aussie Tim Cahill next up at 3.0 even. A good long shot is the ever dangerous Steven Pienaar, who is currently marked at 5.0
Birmingham’s Cameron Jerome is the most likely to score in this tussle at 2.87- a great price on a great forward
This game is being hailed as the struggle of the day; however one must feel that David Moyes will head out today with a team knowing what needs to be done
In order to realise this, one needs to look back to 2005 when David Moyes' side also had three points from six games as they entered October. By the season's end, Everton had recovered to finish 11th, with Birmingham one of the three clubs relegated.
Betting Tip: William Hill- Everton to win at 2.70