Reds out to end record

Liverpool resume action following the international break with a trip to St Andrews to tackle Birmingham City this afternoon.

As well as seeking Roy Hodgson's first Barclays Premier League away victory as manager, the Reds will be aiming to secure their first three points away to the Blues since 2004.

Last season, the two sides played out a frustrating 1-1 stalemate at St Andrews - a game which helps make up Birmingham's highly-impressive 16-match unbeaten home run in the top flight.

Alex McLeish's side have also harvested five points from their opening three league matches of the 2010-11 campaign - and the affable Scot is hoping his contingent can maintain that sort of form against the Reds.

"We have to go and perform against a club of Liverpool's magnitude," said McLeish.

"Last year we had a good campaign against the bigger clubs here at St Andrew's, aided and abetted, of course, by a hostile crowd. I'm looking for the crowd to be at their very best again this season.

"I expect Liverpool to be up their fighting with the best teams for the title and for the top four, of course. Under Roy's tutelage I'm sure they will get better, but hopefully it takes them a couple of weeks yet!"

He added: "If I am comparing it to Roy's Fulham team he will make it very difficult to penetrate.

"He organises his teams very well. He's been in the game a long, long time.

"Liverpool are using a slightly different style this season. Roy will stamp his personality on the team."

Click the image below to watch Hodgson's pre-Birmingham press conference

Birmingham bolstered their ranks on transfer deadline day by swooping to sign three players.

Former Arsenal star Alexander Hleb is arguably the most high-profile of their summer arrivals after Birmingham moved to snap-up the 29-year-old playmaker from Barcelona.

However, McLeish admits he's unsure whether Hleb will be ready for Liverpool's visit after sustaining an ankle injury while on international duty with Belarus.

"Hleb has actually improved in the 48 hours he's been here," said McLeish. "He did limp in the door and we thought he had no chance but we think he's got to a stage where he's got half a chance.

"We'll just have to wait and see if there's any other progress over the next couple of days.

"If he's too tender we won't take any chances, but there's still an outside chance for him," added McLeish.

"We don't want to put him in too early and risk setting him back, so we'll seriously consider it before putting him in."

Hleb's fellow new boy Martin Jiranek is expected to play some part in the fixture, though Birmingham fans will have to wait a littler longer to get a glimpse of winger Jean Beausejour with the Chilean awaiting visa clearance.

Kevin Phillips (thigh) and Stuart Parnaby (hamstring) are also out.

Liverpool will be without the services of Joe Cole, who concludes his three-match domestic suspension, while Dirk Kuyt and Fabio Aurelio are sidelined due to injury.

However, new signings Raul Meireles and Paul Konchesky could figure at St Andrews while Hodgson is hoping to be able to call on the services of David Ngog after injury - and the Reds boss is well aware of the challenge that awaits his contingent in the Midlands.

"I think Birmingham will be strong this year," said Hodgson. "They showed what a good team they are last season and their home form was extremely good.

"We know that Sunday's match will be a very stern test. They will want to win, we will want to win and that's how it should be. That's what makes it such a fascinating league."

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