Both Bolton Wanderers and Birmingham City have had satisfactory, if not overly brilliant, starts to their Premiership campaigns.
Bolton will host Birmingham at the Reebok Stadium in an early kick off this Sunday, and both sides would first try to stave off defeat.
A goalless draw against Fulham in their Premier League opener was followed by Bolton’s impressive 3-1 win against West Ham on the second weekend.
Striker Johan Elmander’s brace of goals in the West Ham match bodes well for the Trotters at the start of a long season.
Birmingham finished ninth in last season’s League and that was a pleasant surprise for their supporters.
Scott Damm and Lam Ridgewell scored in a come from behind 2-2 draw in Birmingham’s opening match against Sunderland.
With another come-from-behind performance against Blackburn at st Andrews, the Blues went one better by notching a 2-1 win.
Craig Gardner’s brace on the day made him the stand out performer, and manager Alex McLeish must be justifiably pleased at the promising start by his squad.
Summer signings Nikola Zigic and Ben Foster are also beginning to gel and barring injuries, Birmingham should aim high, this season.
An ankle injury to Gavin McCain is the only injury worry for Bolton ahead of Sunday’s match.
A thigh injury is likely to keep Kevin Phillips out of Birmingahm’s starting eleven.
Stuart Parnaby is recovering well from a hamstring injury, but could need more time before he is match fit.
In last season’s meeting at the Reebok, a 2-1 win saw Bolton prevail.
Ivan Klasnic doubled the score after Kevin Davies nodded home the first.
James Fadden struck to reduce the margin for Birmingham but that turned out to be the last goal of the game, and season, as it were.