McLeish fears burn-out as Blues fixtures pile up

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish has admitted he is worried by the prospect of player burn-out as his side fight against relegation. They have 11 matches to play, starting tonight at Goodison Park and McLeish fears the weight of fixtures may inhibit his players' performances.

"The concentration that was there for the Stoke game and then the Arsenal game at Wembley in the Carling Cup was missing at the weekend," he said, after a 3-1 home defeat by West Bromwich Albion. "Whether that was tiredness or burn-out, then that's the only excuse I would make for them. There's not a lot you can do about it."

* Liverpool's Brazilian left-back Fabio Aurelio will miss the next month after injuring his hamstring against Manchester United on Sunday.