Could this be the final game of André Villas-Boas troubled tenure as Chelsea manager? Given the proximity of Tuesday’s Champions League last 16 meeting with Napoli the Portuguese may be allowed to hobble on even if Chris Hughton’s side knock the Blues out of the Cup in front of their own fans. But this is the club of Roman Abramovich so anything can, and usually does, occur. City, fifth in the Championship, can be expected to give Villas-Boas’s mutinous band the type of uncomfortable examination they do not want at the close of a week in which the manager conceded some are now openly defying him. Jamie Jackson

Venue Stamford Bridge, Saturday 12.30pm

Tickets £30 (0871 984 1905)

Previous meetings Chelsea wins 43 Birmingham wins 25 Draws 25

Referee Martin Atkinson

This season’s matches 27 Y100, R9, 4.37 cards per game

Odds Chelsea 2-7 Birmingham 11-1 Draw 9-2

Chelsea

Subs from Hilário, Turnbull, Romeu, Hutchinson, Bertrand, Mikel, Lampard, Malouda, Lukaku, Ferreira, Piazón

Doubtful None

Injured Kalou (fatigue, 21 Feb), Terry (knee, 21 Feb), Drogba (fatigue, 21 Feb), Cole (calf, 19 Mar)

Suspended None

Form guide LDDWDW

Disciplinary record Y77 R4

Leading scorer Lampard 12

Birmingham

Subs from Myhill, Spector, Ibáñez, Kerr, Gomis, Reilly, Ntambwe, Jervis, Asante, Butland, Hancox, Hubbins, Gnahoré

Doubtful None

Injured King (groin, 25 Feb), Zigic (knee, 25 Feb), N’Daw (hamstring, 3 Mar), Vallès (ankle, 10 Mar)

Suspended None

Form guide DWDWWW

Disciplinary record Y49 R1

Leading scorer King 11

Match pointers

• Chelsea have won 13 and lost only one of their last 19 meetings with Birmingham in all competitions

• Birmingham have won five of their last six FA Cup ties away from home

• Chelsea’s only defeat in their last 21 home FA Cup matches came via a penalty shoot-out at this stage of the competition last season

• Birmingham have kept four clean sheets in their last five FA Cup games

• Daniel Sturridge has scored seven times in eight FA Cup appearances, including six in five starts for Chelsea

ChelseaBirmingham CityFA Cup 2011-12FA Cup
guardian.co.uk

• Both Merseyside teams drawn at home
• Crawley Town and Stevenage to host Premier League opponents

Having seen off Manchester City in the Carling Cup semi-final, Liverpool will need to beat Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield to keep their tilt for two Wembley final appearances this season on course, having been paired with the Championship side in this afternoon’s FA Cup fifth round draw. Their Merseyside rivals Everton are also at home and will play Blackpool or Sheffield Wednesday, while Chelsea host last year’s Carling Cup winners, Birmingham.

There is only one potential all-Premier League clash, with the winners of the replay between Sunderland and Middlesbrough, who drew earlier today, drawn to play against Arsenal or Aston Villa. Norwich will host Leicester City, while Bolton go to either Millwall or Southampton.

League Two side Crawley Town will host Stoke City in the fifth round. The lowest-ranked side left in the competition beat Hull City yesterday and will be hoping to pull off an even bigger shock against Tony Pulis’s men.

League One Stevenage host Tottenham in a set of fixtures to be played on the weekend of 18-19 February.

The FA Cup fifth-round draw in full: Liverpool v Brighton, Everton v Blackpool or Sheffield Wednesday, Chelsea v Birmingham City, Crawley Town v Stoke City, Stevenage v Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City v Leicester City, Sunderland or Middlesbrough v Arsenal or Aston Villa, Millwall or Southampton v Bolton Wanderers.

FA Cup 2011-12LiverpoolEvertonStoke CityBirmingham CityStevenageTottenham HotspurNorwich CityLeicester CityCrawley TownMiddlesbroughSunderlandBlackpoolArsenalMillwallBolton WanderersSouthamptonAston VillaSheffield WednesdayChelseaBrighton & Hove AlbionFA Cup
guardian.co.uk