Lewis Koumas' future at Birmingham City has been thrown into fresh doubt following his long-awaited first goal for the club, with manager Chris Davis adopting a wait-and-see approach to the Liverpool loanee's situation.
A Pivotal Moment Against the League Leaders
The 20-year-old winger finally broke his duck for Blues in dramatic fashion, netting in last weekend's thrilling 3-2 victory over Championship leaders Coventry City. The strike, which Koumas described as his 'best day' in royal blue, has ignited a loan spell that had previously failed to catch fire.
Having joined Birmingham last summer with ambitions of reaching the Premier League, following a previous loan at Stoke City where he contributed to five goals, Koumas initially enjoyed the faith of manager Chris Davies. He was hand-picked over more experienced options and started matches against Leicester, Swansea, Coventry, and Preston in October – the latter being Blues' last away win.
From Benchwarmer to Key Figure
However, the impressive form of established wingers Demarai Gray and Patrick Roberts saw Koumas relegated to the bench for the following three months. As recently as last month, Davies expressed pessimism about Liverpool allowing the youngster to see out the season at St Andrew's.
The landscape shifted significantly with a calf injury to talisman Demarai Gray, which is set to keep the 29-year-old out until February. This misfortune has opened the door for Koumas to claim the left-wing position as his own, at least temporarily.
"With Lewis, I was speaking to him about needing that moment," Davies revealed. "He needed that goal to be the catalyst to really kick on at the club. To be fair to him, he hadn't had a lot of chances to do it... but to play, to start, to score in a game like that was a big moment."
An Uncertain January Ahead
Despite the breakthrough, Koumas's long-term prospects at Birmingham remain unclear. The club and player are now in a period of assessment, with upcoming fixtures against Cambridge, Swansea, and Stoke providing a crucial audition.
Davies emphasised an open-minded stance, stating the decision rests on game time and confidence from all parties. "We'll keep open-minded on it, as Lewis will, as to how it develops through January," the manager said. "He's got to be confident he's getting the game time here and the opportunities here, as have Liverpool ultimately."
While Gray is expected to reclaim his starting spot upon his return in February, Koumas has a precious window to prove his worth. Davies concluded by praising the player's impact, noting: "What I will say is he's had a massive impact on a big game and, as an attacking player, that's all you can do."
