Birmingham City manager Chris Davies faces a severe selection headache as his squad is pushed to its limits ahead of Monday's daunting Championship fixture against Southampton at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park.
Injury and Suspension Blow for Blues
The problems have mounted following the Boxing Day draw with Derby County. Skipper Christoph Klarer was sent off in stoppage time for a high challenge on Ebou Adams, earning a three-match suspension that rules him out against Southampton, Watford, and Coventry City.
To compound the issue, winger Demarai Gray was forced off after just 15 minutes with a muscular injury and is also expected to miss the Southampton game. The squad is further depleted with Alex Cochrane unlikely to be fit and Tommy Doyle already serving a suspension.
Davies Rules Out Tactical Switch
Faced with these absences, Davies has been forced to consider his options but has firmly ruled out switching to a back five system. When asked about the possibility, the manager pointed to his squad's limitations for such a formation.
"Who would be your wing-back?" Davies questioned. "Our best, most creative players are our wingers, Patrick (Roberts) and Dimmy (Gray). That's where we get a lot of our productivity... We don't have the players, to my mind, to go and play a five."
He emphasised that the issue is not the system but managing the squad through a difficult period, stating: "I think it's just a case of trying to use the squad in the next week or so. Players who haven't played so much are going to get opportunities."
Predicted Line-Up for Saints Visit
With Klarer absent, Phil Neumann is the natural candidate to return to the heart of defence alongside Jack Robinson. Eiran Cashin is expected to continue at left-back, a role he filled competently against his former club Derby, with Davies acknowledging he "did a pretty good job in that role."
The major decisions lie in midfield and attack. Tomoki Iwata could remain in the back four, or Alfons Sampsted could come in, allowing Iwata to bolster a midfield that was overrun by Southampton earlier this month. If not, Marc Leonard and Paik Seung-ho are likely to continue their partnership.
Replacing the injured Demarai Gray is another puzzle. Lewis Koumas failed to impress in his chance, which could open the door for Jay Stansfield to start on the left wing. This would allow Willum Willumsson to operate as the number 10, adding physical presence for set-pieces in Klarer's absence.
Up front, Kyogo Furuhashi, who troubled Southampton in the previous encounter, is tipped to replace Marvin Ducksch after another ineffective performance.
Our predicted Birmingham City line-up (4-2-3-1): Beadle; Iwata, Neumann, Robinson, Cashin; Leonard, Paik; Roberts, Willumsson, Stansfield; Kyogo.
The final game of 2025 presents a monumental challenge for Davies's patched-up side as they look to contain a potent Southampton attack.
