Steve Bruce, the Birmingham City manager, says Bryan Robson, his counterpart at West Bromwich Albion, can expect a phone call before their crunch relegation clash at St Andrew's next Saturday.

The weekly dialogue between the pair has dried up since it became apparent that they were competing to avoid the final relegation place.

Albion's defeat to Chelsea coupled with Birmingham's loss at Middlesbrough cut them further adrift at the foot of the table.

The ramifications of defeat for either side are enormous but Bruce still found time to spare a thought for his longtime friend.

Robson had a heated altercation with Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, over a host of issues and, despite Bruce's disappointment at their latest away defeat, promised to offer support to Robson

Bruce, referring to Robson's spat with Mourinho, said: "I haven't spoken to Bryan Robson for weeks. He's been in a bit of bother today hasn't he? I might give him a bell to see how he is.

"We both understand the situation where we're both fighting for our lives and we both want to keep our clubs in the Premier League.

"We both know what it entails and what happens if you don't. We're both doing our utmost and we'll be both kicking every ball all week this week.

"I just wish he was in my team for the Albion game. It won't be the be-all and end-all of the season but, psychologically, it's a big, big game.

"If we can beat them next week then we will go above them and we would be out of the bottom three for the first time since October. Psychologically, that would have a huge bearing."

Bruce was philosophical after Birmingham's winless run at Middlesbrough entered its 26th year - in November 1980 Jim Smith's side won 2-1 on Teesside.

However, this was an opportunity wasted as the hosts turned in a sub-standard performance that allowed Blues to control large chunks of possession.

But their familiar failings in front of goal came back to haunt them with three excellent chances being spurned.

But Bruce was positives about the performance of David Dunn who was withdrawn just before the hour. He said: "One of the main pluses I can take out of this defeat is that David Dunn got 60 minutes because we can all see that he oozes quality that everyone admires.

"The hardest thing to manage has been how do I get these injured players back out on to the pitch. David has been in and out for five months. He comes back for a couple of games and then breaks down and is out for a month.

"I didn't want to bring him off," said Bruce after a large section of the travelling supporters booed the decision to withdraw Dunn. "Who in their right mind would want to bring him off when you're looking for a goal?

"We've got two months left of the season but if history repeats itself and we push him when he's tired we might be looking at another setback.

"We were the ones who were trying to be positive throughout the game. Towards the end we had three or four strikers on the pitch and they had five centre-halves on, but that's what happens when you're chasing the game.

"However, there are still 11 games to go. Somebody will go into freefall and not win for five or six games and the alarm bells will start ringing."