Chris Hughton believes Birmingham will be up against two of the best strikers in the Championship when Southampton visit St Andrew's.

Hughton: Blues host Saints

Rickie Lambert has scored 14 league goals so far this season, a key component of Saints' promotion push, and could partner new signing Billy Sharp against Blues on Saturday evening (kick-off 5.20pm).

The January arrival from Doncaster could be handed his debut by Saints boss Nigel Adkins.

The hosts will be looking for a seventh straight win in all competitions which would keep them firmly in the hunt for automatic promotion, but Hughton knows second-place Southampton will provide a tough test.

"It is a huge game because a good result puts us in a very good position," Hughton, whose fourth-placed side lie five points behind their opponents with a game in hand, told the club's website.

"A poor result, and good results behind us, could drop us down three or four positions - that's how tight it is.

"We're up against a real top team in this division and in Lambert they have if not the best striker in this division, then one of the best.

"They also have Sharp, who is a tremendous finisher and probably as a two they would be as prolific as any.

"But we're at home and we're in good form ourselves and the onus will be on us."

Southampton have taken just one point from their last two games as their challenge threatens to stumble, but midfielder Adam Lallana believes they can inflict a first home league defeat of the season on Birmingham.

"No-one has won there yet so it's a big task," he told Saints Player.

"We beat (Nottingham) Forest away in our last game on the road in the league so we've picked our form up away. We go into Birmingham with good form, and especially after the performance the other night (when they came from behind to draw 1-1 with Cardiff) we've done ourselves no harm.

"We beat them well at home and we know it's going to be a tough game because they're unbeaten in the league up there, so we've got a very good challenge ahead of us.

"They're out of the Europa League now and I'm sure they'll say that hampered their season, but they're a good team, they were in the Premier League last season and won the Carling Cup too, so they've got a lot of experience."

Birmingham have Marlon King back after a groin injury, but Richard Chaplow (knee) and Jos Hooiveld (hamstring) are injured for the visitors.