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.

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