Birmingham City are back in Sky Bet Championship action this Saturday afternoon as they take on fellow relegation battlers Wigan Athletic away from home. It’s a huge six-pointer for both sides with Blues being sucked into the mix and The Latics at the foot of the league.
As it stands, Wigan are seven points below Birmingham and are equal on points with the rest of the bottom three. Shaun Maloney’s side do have a game in hand, however, which could really cause trouble for Blues. If Wigan win, they would move to within just four points with the chance to close in further in a couple of weeks.
Birmingham have been hit with further bad news off the field in the lead-up to the clash, as a fire broke out at Wast Hills Training Ground in the early hours of Friday morning. Players and staff have been told to avoid the site, meaning preparations for the match could be disrupted somewhat.
Heading into the game, Blues are in awful form with nine defeats in their last 11 fixtures. Head coach John Eustace is beginning to be thrust under pressure with supporters getting increasingly frustrated with recent results. The Solihull-born manager could make a few changes in the hope to shift the momentum.
With that in mind, here is the starting XI we think Eustace will go for against Wigan. See below.

1. Birmingham City predicted XI vs Wigan Athletic - as Hannibal Mejbri is dropped
Here are the 11 players we think will start for Blues at Wigan. | Getty Images

2. GK: John Ruddy
Might not be in the best form but offers leadership and experience from the back. | Getty Images

3. RB: Maxime Colin
Has been near-enough everpresent for Blues of late and stays in the team. The Frenchman’s fitness levels are impressive. | Getty Images

4. CB: Harlee Dean
Often the one to clear the ball away with his head; when fit, you want Dean in the team. This is especially true with Dion Sanderson out. | Getty Images