Birmingham chairman David Gold has called on Steve Bruce's battling Blues to produce a repeat of neighbours West Brom's Houdini act of last season - whilst Bruce himself reckons tomorrow's clash with Newcastle is the biggest of his life.
Gold said: "If we stay up, it will certainly equal what West Brom achieved 12 months ago - or even surpass it. What West Brom achieved was remarkable. They were at the bottom of the table at Christmas and before last season you were relegated if that happened. They retained their place with a tremendous effort, a great turnaround in fortunes when virtually written off, which was superb.
"We have not done it yet. There is still some work to do. Portsmouth have a two-point advantage. But we have had so much misfortune and the mere fact we are still in the hat and fighting going into these last two games is fantastic."
Gold added: "The injuries just haven't stopped all season. You begin to think 'how much more can we take?' It is just quite bizarre but we have just got to battle on. Someone as good as Arsenal wouldn't be the same team if they were missing their best five or six players. We know what happens if you cannot put out your best team."
No-one knows better than Bruce who added: "It's the biggest game in my football career. There is, however, a major difference between going to win things and to avoid relegation. I remember when I was at Norwich. We happened to go to Chelsea for the last game of the season and had to win it to avoid relegation. We won 2-1 and I scored the winner!
"So it's a big game for us but it would be against Newcastle. It's sod's law after the season I've had to be playing against the team I've always supported ever since I was a young lad."
Birmingham could face a fit-again Michael Owen who is expected to make his first Newcastle appearance of 2006 since breaking his foot on New Year's Eve. "I've been training since Monday and it has been really good, much better than I thought," Owen says. "I was worried that I would have a bit of pain the more I played but it has been great."
Caretaker boss Glenn Roeder included Owen in Newcastle's squad for the match against West Brom at the weekend in a move to get him involved in the first-team set-up again. Owen added: "I haven't spoken to the manager in detail yet but I think it would be sensible, after being out for just under five months, to gradually give me maybe 20 minutes on Saturday and then more in the next game."
West Brom, meanwhile, must win their last two matches to give themselves any chance of pulling off another great escape - but still have to rely on results elsewhere if they are to repeat last year's heroics.
The Baggies could go into Monday's Hawthorns clash with West Ham already doomed depending on what happens to relegation rivals Portsmouth and Birmingham on Saturday.
Defender Paul Robinson said: "As soon as Saturday's games are over we will have a better picture but as far as I am concerned I will keep fighting until the end. Whatever has happened we have to go into the game on Monday and look to get three points. We have to get that bad performance against Newcastle out of our system and put on a good display."
After last weekend's 3-0 defeat at the hands of Newcastle, manager Bryan Robson admitted 'that more or less puts us down' but he's since added: "It's mathematically possible and as far as I'm concerned, we'll prepare for the game against West Ham on Monday and we will hope the results on Saturday go well for us. We have got to make sure win win our last two games."
Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp says he wants to complete the great escape before discussing his future and a possible new contract at Fratton Park.
Following the 2-1 win against Sunderland, Harry said: "We're two points clear of the bottom three now but we've got to win at Wigan on Saturday while Birmingham are at home. Then we finish with a nice easy one at home to Liverpool! I really can't say what way it is going to go but I'm not even thinking about next season yet or whether I stay on.
"Last Monday we went to Charlton and murdered them but lost to two late goals so you can't predict what will happen. We've been on a great run with 17 points out of 24 but it is still all uncertain."
