HOLMES AND JAMES FACE LATE TESTS

Holmes - faces late test.

Lee Holmes and Lloyd James will be handed late fitness checks ahead of Southampton's Carling Cup clash with Birmingham at St Mary's.

Midfielder Holmes limped out of Saturday's 1-0 win at his former club Derby with a slight hamstring problem and young full-back James suffered an ankle injury.

Stern John replaced Holmes at Pride Park and will be hoping for a start against his old employers, while on-loan Chelsea defender Jack Cork came on for James.

Captain Michael Svensson will rest his knee so Cork, Paul Wotton, Ollie Lancashire or Wayne Thomas will deputise at centre-half alongside Chris Perry.

Bartosz Bialkowski should get the nod in goal in place of regular number one Kelvin Davis.

Birmingham will monitor the fitness of striker Garry O'Connor ahead of the clash.

The Scotland international suffered a dead leg in Saturday's 2-0 victory over Barnsley, although Blues manager Alex McLeish is hopeful he will be available for selection.

He told the Birmingham Post: "I am sure dead legs don't keep players out for too long and I would like to think Garry will be okay because our numbers are depleting."

Stuart Parnaby is certain to miss out after suffering suspected concussion in the Barnsley game, with Stephen Kelly set to come in at right-back.

Mehdi Nafti remains sidelined with a slight hamstring tear, while Cameron Jerome is also out for around three weeks with a torn thigh muscle.