Injury update:- Millwall v Birmingham City; five ruled out, three in doubt

admin | March 9, 2024 | Other Clubs | No Comments

Birmingham City will travel to the city to face relegation rivals Millwall at The Den in the Sky Bet Championship

Both sides escaped loss in midweek, drawing 1-1 with Hull City and Blackburn Rovers, respectively. After going behind, Lukas Jutkiewicz equalised for the Blues, while John Eustace’s new team Blackburn Rovers replied through talisman Sammie Szmodics after Michael Obafemi opened the scoring for the Lions.

Birmingham are only one point above the relegation zone, but a win would allow them to overcome Millwal. Millwall might finish as high as 16th if they maintain their unbeaten streak under Neil Harris, who is back in South London for a second stint as manager. Here’s the most recent injury and team news ahead of kickoff between the two teams.

Blues will be able to call on Marc Roberts, a welcome boost after the experienced defender recovered from a calf injury. Roberts did not make the previous two selections, but he is back in contention after training this week.

“Marc has trained today,” interim manager Mark Venus told BirminghamLive.

“We have to watch how he reacts to training; hopefully, he will train again tomorrow and be ready for selection. He is on the practice field, which is wonderful.”

Birmingham will be without Krystian Bielik, who is out for the next three matches due to a ruptured stomach muscle. He faces a two-match ban after getting nine yellow cards, and he would have been out for a similar period if he hadn’t been injured.

Venus could go with Emmanuel Aiwu and Lee Buchanan, with the latter going in from left-back after Ethan Laird displaced him in his usual position. Dion Sanderson is serving the second of his two-game suspension after the team lost their appeal against his expulsion against Southampton. The only other player absent will be Alfie Chang, who sustained a season-ending injury in August.

Out: Alfie Chang, Dion Sanderson and Krystian Bielik

Millwall team news

Millwall are anticipated to make a few changes because this is the hosts’ third game in a week. Several players are’still in recuperation mode’, so there may be alterations to the nine players who have started all three games since his appointment.

Despite sustaining an Achilles tear, Wales striker Tom Bradshaw could yet play for Millwall this season. He has had a scan and might play in two to four games, according to Neil Harris.

In his pre-match press conference, Harris told the Southwark News, “We got a different opinion with a different ultrasound scan just to clarify the original news.” There is still a rip in the Achilles, and nothing has changed. It’s just more optimistic that with a revised treatment plan, we’ll be able to get him back sooner than the end of the season.

“When I spoke with you guys last week, I was kind of writing the season off, or close to it. And his chances of reuniting with him before the end are slim. He’s not going to be back next week or the week after, but it’s a little bit of good news for us on the injury front that he might come back a couple of weeks before the end of the season and could play in the last two, three, or four games if we’re lucky.”

Shaun Hutchinson is nearing a return after being sidelined since New Year’s Day. He is going to miss this encounter, but he could play for the under-21s next week, which would be a good lift.

“Hutch has trained all week so he’s definitely available for the group now,” Harris added. We’ll have to wait and see if that’s premature thinking for the starting eleven or [involvement in] the matchday squad.

Scotland attacker Kevin Nisbet, who has 10 caps for his country, is out with a hamstring injury. Allan Campbell, who was linked with a move to Birmingham City at the close of the transfer window, hasn’t played a league game for Millwall since December and hasn’t been named in matchday squads.

Wes Harding was originally at Birmingham and came through their academy, however he has not made the last two matchday squads, with his last appearance coming as a substitute in a 4-0 loss to Ipswich Town.

Out: Kevin Nisbet and Tom Bradshaw. Doubt: Allan Campbell, Shaun Hutchinson and Wes Harding.