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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
Sport
Richard Forrester

Birmingham City's drastic defensive injury crisis revealed ahead of clash with Bristol City

If you think Nigel Pearson has problems in defence, Birmingham City manager Lee Bowyer has a major predicament on his hands.

Blues are the visitors to Ashton Gate on Saturday as the Robins look to get back to winning ways following two defeats on the bounce against Coventry City and Nottingham.

Pearson has his own issues to deal with as he sweats on the fitness of Tomas Kalas after he limped off in the final 10 minutes during the loss at Forest last weekend.

However, the likes of Antoine Semenyo and Andi Weimann should be licking their lips at the prospect of playing a Birmingham backline that could feature just one fit senior defender.

In their last outing, a 2-0 home defeat to Huddersfield, they started the contest with two full-backs playing in the centre in Maxime Colin and left-back Kristian Pederson playing alongside the Frenchman.

To further rub salt in their wound, Colin was forced off injured meaning midfielder Gary Gardner dropped into defence to provide cover for the lengthy list of centre-backs on the treatment table.

Marc Roberts is struggling with a hamstring injury and is in a race against the clock to face City although Bowyer remains hopeful that he could get him back in action for Saturday's game.

Fellow centre-back partner Teden Mengi, currently on loan from Manchester United, is also dealing with a hamstring issue following a problem sustained in the match with Bournemouth on February 9.

George Friend, who has been shoehorned into a centre-back position this season, will face a late fitness test on a calf injury having last featured against Derby on January 30.

Colin also looks very doubtful following a thigh injury in his last outing with Bowyer admitting the player was forced to go for a scan on Monday.

The injuries could mean Bowyer is likely to be forced to play right-winger Jordan Graham at full-back - as he did against the Terriers - and forward Jeremie Bela filling the left-back spot with Pederson and Gardner playing through the middle.

Bowyer does have 19-year-old right-back Marcel Oakley at his disposal but he has only played two senior league matches with the club, both coming in November.

Fellow U23 player Nico Gordon, who featured once in the League Cup could also be handed a start should Roberts miss out and Bowyer opt to keep Gardner playing in the midfield.

Birmingham's injury problems also branch out to their attack with Scott Hogan ruled out and January signing Lyle Taylor also struggling with a groin problem, meaning Lucas Jutkiewicz is likely to start.

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