Gary Rowett responds bluntly to Siriki Dembele following Birmingham City latest injury

Gary Rowett has clarified that Siriki Dembele’s omission from the Birmingham City squad for the defeat to Cardiff City was not due to an injury.

Dembele, an out-of-form winger who has only started one of the Blues’ last 12 games, was omitted from the team on Wednesday to allow Andre Dozzell to rejoin. The 27-year-old Ivorian was an unimpressive replacement in the Blues’ 2-1 loss at Leicester over the weekend.

When asked if Dembele’s withdrawal was due to an injury or merely being left out, Rowett answered, “He’s not injured, no.”

Dembele has become a shadow of the guy that impressed at the start of his Blues career, scoring three goals in his first six league appearances, including a brace in a stunning individual performance against Huddersfield. He was formerly regarded as one of the Blues’ most valuable players, but he is no longer guaranteed a spot in the squad.

Lee Buchanan has been a crucial player for Rowett, but the left-back is now a question for this weekend’s game against Coventry City after suffering an injury against Cardiff. Buchanan was replaced by Cody Drameh in the second half.

“Lee just felt his groin a little so we weren’t sure and we haven’t got that direct replacement for him at the moment so Cody had to go on that side,” Rowett said at the time. “You could tell it was difficult for him because he is right-footed and wants to get back inside all the time.

“With Lee, we simply attempted to make a logical decision. It was the same for Krystian (Bielik); he had already begun to flag and had been booked. He has been one of our best players, and we didn’t want to lose him.