Keith Fahey came incredibly close to putting Birmingham City back ahead earlier on in the half with a shot that beat Wojciech Szczęsny and crashed against the inside of the post, but the Irish midfielder will be playing no further part in the match as Alex McLeish has opted to replace him with on-loan striker Obafemi Martins in an attacking move. It's a dangerous option with Arsenal looking lively at the moment, but the wave of attacks by red shirts may well provide more opportunities for City to play on the counterattack - and based on recent evidence they can rely on goalkeeper Ben Foster to take care of things in his box.
Arsenal Vs. Birmingham City, Carling Cup Final: Fahey Off, Martins On
With the game coming up to full time and a lot of tired legs on the pitch, each manager has but one substitution available to them. The match looks a near-certainty to be heading to extra time and possibly penalties now - can either team break through before they’re faced with a further thirty exhausting minutes?
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