Chris Davies issues quadruple Birmingham City injury update before Lincoln City clash

Blues boss Chris Davies has confirmed two players have returned to full fitness and two others are continuing their recoveries ahead of this Saturday’s visit to Lincoln in League One.

Club captain Krystian Bielik remains sidelined with the ankle injury picked up in the 1-0 defeat at Charlton Athletic, but he’s working hard to return as soon as possible. Fulham loanee Luke Harris, meanwhile, is unlikely to feature but is moving closer.

Providing a wide injury update, Davies said: “Krys Bielik will be a few weeks, we’ll monitor it day by day. Ethan Laird has been back in full training and Luke Harris is back in light training. Dion Sanderson obviously came back against Shrewsbury and is back with us.”

Bielik’s absence means Davies must pick an alternative centre-half partner for Christoph Klarer. Namesake Ben Davies is one option but, given Sanderson’s availability, Birmingham’s former captain may get a run-out instead.

Laird’s return to fitness is a huge boost but it does create another selection headache for Davies. Taylor Gardner-Hickman has played excellently in Laird’s absence and Alfons Sampsted has impressed during his cameo appearances, so it’s a tough call at right-back.

Squad depth and competition is exactly what Davies wanted from his summer transfer business, though, so the head coach definitely won’t bemoan the situation.