THE only Southampton-born player likey to be treading the St Mary's turf on Sunday will probably get the worst reception.

Ex-Pompey winger Darren Anderton is being gently nursed back to full fitness by Birmingham boss Steve Bruce after arriving at the club during the summer with an Achilles problem.

Anderton, 32, was released by Tottenham at the end of last season after 12 injury-plagued years in north London.

Rumours of a sentimental return to Fratton Park never materialised and Anderton now admits he has been given a new lease of life in England's second city.

The former England man turned in a man-of-the-match performance in his only start to date against Lincoln in the Carling Cup.

But Anderton, below, also quietly impressed when given his first taste of Premiership football at Birmingham for the second half of the goalless draw with Manchester United last weekend.

"It was great to be back. I really got a buzz from the game and I feel absolutely great. The training I've done at Birmingham has been very intense, harder than I've ever done before, and it's definitely benefited me," he said.

"What's also helped is the way the manager has gone about things. He said he'd take his time with me and make sure I was absolutely right before including me.

"That can be frustrating at times because you naturally want to be involved, but it's definitely been the correct thing to do.

"Before, over the years, I've maybe come back from injury too soon. After three or four days training I've been thrown straight back in and been worried about whether I'd suffer a problem again."

Blues defender Matthew Upson in confident that midfield playmaker David Dunn has a massive role to play now his hamstring nightmare appears to be over.

The 25-year-old centre-back admitted that a fully fit Dunn is "like having a new signing" after injury problems dogged his first season at St Andrews in 2003-2004 following his £5.5million move from Blackburn.

The former England Under-21 captain Dunn has impressed in his two comeback outings against Newcastle and Manchester United.

Upson said: "He's already had a pretty big effect."

City have taken time to come to terms with losing last season's leading scorer Mikael Forssell with a knee problem which will sideline him for most of the campaign, only winning one of their first nine league games.

But Upson has faith in Dwight Yorke, Emile Heskey, and Clinton Morrison, with Dunn pushing forward as a support striker if needed, to provide enough goal-power.

He said: "We've gone through a bad spell. We didn't start particularly well and injuries and the loss of Mikael Forssell has not helped. But we are fine now.

"It is always going to be difficult when you lose your top scorer."

Saints fans will be hoping that midfielder Robbie Savage doesn't get booked on Sunday - Birmingham haven't lost on the last 17 occasions when the Welshman has been cautioned!