Blues beat Liverpool to ease relegation fears

Birmingham City beat Liverpool 2-1 at St Andrew's on 23 February to give their hopes of staying in the Premiership a much-needed boost.

Stephen Clemence and Clinton Morrison put Blues two goals up, and although Michael Owen pulled one back late on, Steve Bruce's side held on for a famous win in front of more than 29,000 fans.

A timely win

The victory could hardly have come at a better time. Blues had lost their previous three league games, against Bolton Wanderers, Manchester United and Chelsea, and had slipped to 16th in the table, uncomfortably close to the relegation zone.

Their first season back in the top flight since 1986 has been a tough one, and many pundits tipped them to go straight back down. But the win over Liverpool shows that Bruce's side can compete with the best.

New signings making a mark

Bruce was busy in the January transfer window, bringing in several new players to strengthen his squad. Clemence joined from Tottenham Hotspur, and Jamie Clapham from Ipswich Town. Matthew Upson arrived from Arsenal to shore up the defence.

The most eye-catching signing was Christophe Dugarry, the French World Cup winner, who joined on loan from Bordeaux. The striker has brought experience and quality to the side, and fans are excited to see what he can do.

Clemence, the son of the former Liverpool and England goalkeeper Ray Clemence, will have particularly enjoyed scoring against his father's old club.

The derby next

Blues now turn their attention to the Second City derby at Villa Park on 3 March. They won the first meeting of the season 3-0 at St Andrew's in September, a result that sent their fans into ecstasy, and will be hoping to complete the double.

Villa are also struggling for consistency under Graham Taylor, and the game is likely to be fierce. Both clubs will be desperate for the points and for local bragging rights.

Staying up

With around a dozen games to go, Blues are still not safe. The bottom of the table is tight, and they will need to keep picking up points to be sure of another season in the Premiership.

But the signs are encouraging. The new signings have given the squad a lift, the crowd at St Andrew's is right behind the team, and Bruce has shown he knows how to organise a side to get results.

The club's aim this season has always been survival, and building from there. If Blues can stay up, they will have a platform to establish themselves in the top flight for years to come.

For now, the fans can enjoy a memorable afternoon, and a win over one of the biggest clubs in the country.