Birmingham City's Doyle and Priske Return from Illness Ahead of Sheffield United Clash
Birmingham City manager Chris Davies has delivered positive updates on the availability of key players Tommy Doyle and August Priske following recent illness absences. The Blues are preparing for their Championship encounter against Sheffield United this Saturday, with kick-off scheduled for 3pm.
Midfielder Tommy Doyle Back in Contention
Tommy Doyle has successfully recovered from his illness and is now available for selection against his former club Sheffield United. The midfielder missed Birmingham City's last two matches due to illness but has returned to full training this week, putting him in contention for a place in the squad.
However, Doyle might have to settle for a spot on the bench, as Jhon Solis and Paik Seung-ho are expected to continue their partnership in midfield. This decision comes despite Doyle's previous red card against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane in December, which adds an interesting subplot to his potential involvement.
August Priske Also Making Progress
Danish striker August Priske also missed Wednesday's 1-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers due to illness but could make his return this weekend. Blues boss Chris Davies confirmed both players' progress, stating: "Tommy Doyle has been ill but he's trained and it looks like he'll be available. August was ill. He's got some training in and we'll see how he is. There's still a couple of question marks but they're making strides."
Defensive Absence Continues
While the news is positive for Doyle and Priske, German left-back Kai Wagner is not expected to return until after the international break. Wagner suffered a shoulder injury during the defeat to Charlton Athletic last weekend and was unable to feature against QPR.
This means Birmingham City will have to navigate matches against Sheffield United and Derby County without Wagner's services. In his absence, Ethan Laird started at left-back against QPR and is likely to retain his position in the team for the upcoming fixtures.
The return of Doyle and potential availability of Priske provides Davies with additional options as Birmingham City look to build on their recent victory and improve their Championship standing. The manager will be carefully monitoring both players' fitness in the final training sessions before making his final selection decisions for Saturday's crucial match.
