Tony Mowbray makes surprise Jay Stansfield revelation amid Birmingham City team news shock

Tony Mowbray has admitted Jay Stansfield prefers playing out wide rather than as a centre forward, with Saturday's surprise starter Scott Hogan set for more game time due to his energy up top.

It may come as a shock that clinical forward Stansfield, who is Blues' top scorer with seven goals in the Sky Bet Championship, has turned down the chance to play as a number nine. The Fulham loanee featured out wide under Wayne Rooney in what appeared to be a tactical change, but it's now clear it's the player's personal preference instead.

Hogan, meanwhile, was the man chosen to occupy the central striker spot for the 2-2 draw with Swansea City and he did a brilliant job at pressuring the visitors' back line. The Irishman notched an assist, too, with a superb through ball up the left flank to Siriki Dembele. The performance was a promising one as many Blues fans had written off Hogan due to poor showings and a lack of minutes earlier in the season. This could be time for a revival.

“I could’ve played Stansfield up front but yet I had a good chat with Jay. He likes to come in off the side and get the ball, rather than being surrounded by big centre halves and physicality," Mowbray revealed during Saturday's post-match press conference. "He wants to be a footballer, really, and he was a threat to them. It’s a learning thing for me, I’ve got to learn what makes the players tick and where I can play them," Mowbray admitted.

Birmingham are back in action at St Andrew's for the second time in the space of four days on Tuesday as they play host to Hull City for a replay of the Emirates FA Cup third round. The game will act as a perfect opportunity for Mowbray to rotate and discover more of the qualities within his squad.