Birmingham City bid to end Old Traford bogey in opening day test

Jun 18 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Post

Birmingham City return to Barclays Premier League action with a cracker – Manchester United away.

Alex McLeish’s promoted side travel to face the champions at Old Trafford, a place where they have yet to score a goal let alone avoid defeat in their previous Premier League visits.

In fact, in eight outings at the Reds going back to 1982, Blues have lost them all and failed to find the back of the net.

And it pits boss McLeish against his managerial mentor Sir Alex Ferguson. McLeish was the rock of Ferguson’s defence in the Aberdeen glory days.

Blues co-owner David Sullivan said: “Opening fixtures don’t come any tougher.

“Realistically we’re going to be 10-1 to win, they are going to be 5-1 on. But Man United have had some slow starts to the season, and let’s hope that continues.

“We went to Chelsea on the opening day last time and lost 3-2 but had real chances, we were winning at several points, our goalkeeper didn’t have the best of games. On another day we could have got something out of it, so that just shows you.”

Just four games after the Old Trafford clash, on September 12, it’s Blues versus Aston Villa at St Andrew’s.

And Sullivan noted: “We’ve got three of the big four teams away in the first-half of the season.

“We’ve got a much harder first half of the season than the second, so we’ve got to hang in there and hopefully come good after Christmas.”

Sullivan, meanwhile, is looking forward to renewing old rivalries with Villa.

“Aston Villa as the third home game – that is the game our supporters will be looking for,” he said.

“We got beaten badly twice two years ago in the Premier League by Aston Villa, we properly got humiliated at Villa Park and we have got a lot to prove.”