‘Frightening’ winger starts as Chris Davies rings changes in FA Cup - Birmingham City predicted XI v Blackpool

Blues manager Chris Davies has admitted he will rotate heavily for this clash as the fixture congestion ramps up and the priority focus remains on League One.

Birmingham are determined to progress to the third round of the FA Cup - and fans always love a run in the famous old competition - but Davies recognises there needs to be a hierarchy of importance. It’s also paramount that the squad remains united and content, including those who have had to play a reduced role in League One so far.

"We're at that stage of the season, December and January time, when the games come thick and fast. We need to use all the players in the squad, that'll be important so we can expect a bit of that,” Davies told Birmingham Live.

“A number of players have played and contributed well, but they haven't played every minute of every game. Without giving any names away, we're going to need to use the squad absolutely.

“We have a couple of league games next week, Wednesday and Saturday, but I think you also have to focus your energy on the next game - it's the most important one. That's what we'll be focusing on,” Davies added.

Birmingham City predicted XI vs Blackpool

With rotation expected, here are the 11 Blues players we think will get the nod against the Tangerines in the FA Cup.

GK: Bailey Peacock-Farrell

The Northern Irishman has been dropped in favour of Ryan Allsop recently, but that’s likely to swap around in the cup competitions.

RB: Ethan Laird

Laird didn’t feature in the 2-0 win at Exeter City midweek, so he’s primed and ready to go for this tie. One of the most passionate in the squad, he loves FA Cup action.

CB: Krystian Bielik

The new captain leads exceptionally well from the back and is vitally important to this team. No matter the fixture, the Poland international should play.

CB: Dion Sanderson

Sanderson has fallen well down the pecking order of late but he remains a decent player Blues can call upon in non-league competitions.

LB: Alex Cochrane

Cochrane has played a lot of football at the start of this season but there’s been very little choice with Lee Buchanan sidelined for a lengthy period of time.

CM: Taylor Gardner-Hickman

The former West Brom man had a good run of games a couple of months ago but has been benched recently. This is a good chance to rest the usual midfield duo.

CM: Marc Leonard

Leonard has had to settle for an impact substitute role in League One due to Paik and Iwata’s form, so he should earn as many minutes as possible in the cups.

CAM: Luke Harris

The Fulham loanee has shown signs of real promise since joining in the summer. Willum Willumsson is likely to get a rest, so this is a great opening for Harris.

RW: Jay Stansfield

Davies could use this game as an opportunity to experiment with Stansfield out on the right flank. Keshi Anderson, previously injury prone, probably won’t be risked.

LW: Ayumu Yokoyama

The 21-year-old has only played a handful of times but that could change outside of the league. Yokoyama’s dribbling can be frightening when he gets going.

ST: Lyndon Dykes

The Scotsman was benched at Exeter, so it’s likely he comes in for Alfie May. Dykes could really do with a goal and this fixture provides a great opportunity for that.