Millwall v Birmingham City Championship injury news as five ruled out and three doubtful

Birmingham City travel to the capital to face relegation rivals Millwall at The Den in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday.

Both sides avoided defeat in midweek, drawing 1-1 against Hull City and Blackburn Rovers respectively. Lukas Jutkiewicz scored an equaliser for Blues after falling behind whilst John Eustace's new club Blackburn Rovers equalised through talisman Sammie Szmodics after Michael Obafemi had opened the scoring for the Lions.

Birmingham are just one point above the relegation zone but have an opportuntiy to overtake Millwal with a victory. Millwall could go as high as 16th should they continue their unbeaten run under Neil Harris who is back in South London for a second spell as manager. Here's the latest injury and team news ahead of kick off between the two sides.

Birmingham City team news

Blues will be able to call upon Marc Roberts in a welcomed boost after the experienced defender recovered from a calf issue. Roberts didn't make the last two squads but is back in contention having trained this week.

"Marc has trained today,” interim manager Mark Venus said to BirminghamLive.

“We have to see how he reacts to training, hopefully he will train again tomorrow and he will hopefully be fit for selection. He is on the training ground so that’s good.”

Birmingham won't be able to call upon Krystian Bielik however who is out for the next three matches with a torn stomach muscle. He was in danger of receiving a two-match ban having picked up nine yellow cards and so he would have been out for a similar period had he not been injured.

Venus could go with the partnership of Emmanuel Aiwu and Lee Buchanan, with the latter moving in from left-back having been displaced in his natural position by Ethan Laird. Dion Sanderson is serving the second of his two game ban after the club was unsuccessful in their appeal for his dismissal against Southampton. Alfie Chang is the only other player that will be missing after he suffered a season-ending injury back in August.

Out: Alfie Chang, Dion Sanderson and Krystian Bielik

Millwall team news

Millwall are expected to make a couple of changes given this will represent the third game in a week for the hosts. Several players are 'still in recovery mode' and so from the nine players who have started all three games since his appointment, there could be changes to freshen up the side.

Wales striker Tom Bradshaw could yet play a part in Millwall's season, despite suffering an Achilles tear. He has undergone a scan, and potentially could play in between two to four games according to Neil Harris.

Harris in his pre-match press conference said to the Southwark News: "We got a different opinion with a different ultrasound scan just for clarity on the original news. It’s still a tear in the Achilles, that hasn’t changed. It’s just more optimistic with a different line of treatment, that we might get him back slightly quicker than the end of the season.

“When I spoke to you guys last week, it was sort of writing the season off or very close to it. And the hope that if he did get him back before the end, it would be really limited. He’s not going to be back next week or the week after, it’s just a little bit of positivity for us on the injury front that he might be back a couple of weeks before the end of the season and might get some involvement in the last two, three or four games if we’re lucky.”

Shaun Hutchinson is closing in on a return having been sidelined since New Year's Day. He's likely to miss this match, but could play in an under-21s match next week in what would be a welcomed boost.

"Hutch has trained all week so he’s definitely available for the group now," said Harris. Whether that’s thinking too soon for the starting eleven, whether that’s [involvement in] the matchday squad, we’ll have to see.

Scotland striker Kevin Nisbet who has 10 caps for his country is sidelined with a hamstring injury. Allan Campbell, who was linked with a move to Birmingham City at the end of the window has not played a league game for Millwall since December and hasn't been included in the match-day squads.

Wes Harding was once at Birmingham and came through their academy but hasn't made the last two match day squads with his last game coming as a substitute in the 4-0 defeat to Ipswich Town.

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