Birmingham equal home record after dull draw

Birmingham and Wigan ground out a dull 0-0 draw on Saturday but some consolation for the hosts was that it equalled a club record of 18 matches unbeaten at home in the top flight.

However, the draw leaves Wigan hovering over the relegation zone while Birmingham – who have just two wins in their last 16 Premier League matches – are mid-table but only three points clear of the drop.

Charles N’Zogbia who had been on the point of moving to Birmingham before the deal collapsed last month had the only worthwhile shot on goal in the opening half hour but Ben Foster proved equal to the task.

The hosts, though, had the better of the remaining 15 minutes of the first-half with Swedish international Sebastian Larsson going close with two efforts.

The first saw him go wide with a shot from outside the area, then he turned provider as his cross was met by Roger Johnson, but his header went wide.

The Swede’s freekick forced Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi into a save on the stroke of half-time.

Wigan were a bit more adventurous after the break as N’Zogbia forced Foster into another save eight minutes in whilst Honduran Maynor Figueroa went wide twice.

Foster was the busiest of the ‘keepers in the second-half as the former Manchester United guardian was called into action again 14 minutes from time as he saved from former Chelsea player Argentinian Franco di Santo.