Birmingham City face Coventry City under the Coventry Building Society Arena floodlights and in front of the Sky Sports cameras on Friday (December 8) night.
Blues go into the game on the back of a goalless draw with managerless Rotherham United, who occupy one of the relegation spots. The Sky Blues meanwhile suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Ipswich Town last weekend with a Brandon Williams own goal proving to be just a consolation rather than the start of a late comeback.
Since Wayne Rooney's appointment, they've won just once and that was against basement side Sheffield Wednesday. St Andrew's is where Rooney is picking up his points however with draws against Ipswich and Rotherham, as well as that win against the Owls. Birmingham have lost their last seven away league matches, a run that stretches back to when John Eustace was in charge. In fact, Birmingham have just one away win all season, and have picked up just four points from a possible 27 on their travels.
Two places and a point separate 15th-placed Birmingham City and Coventry who are currently ranked 17th in the league standings. Birmingham's record against Coventry isn't the greatest and they are currently winless in six against Mark Robins side. The last win was on penalties when they won in the FA Cup in February 2020, and their last league win came over 10-years ago in August 2011, which was the same campaign as when Blues embarked on their Europa League adventure. A win on Friday night for Birmingham would move them into 13th, whereas for Coventry it would only put them as high 14th.
In the build-up to Friday's clash, Wayne Rooney delivered a devastating blow, and that is George Hall will be out for between six to eight weeks. He has suffered a hamstring injury whilst trying to recover from a long-term problem, and now faces a spell on the sidelines. Centre-back Kevin Long is out for a few weeks too, having missed the last few games.
Wayne Rooney said to BirminghamLive in his pre-match press conference: "“George is injured again, so he will be out for another six to eight weeks. His other hamstring. “We have been really careful with George so it’s very frustrating. We know he’s a very talented player. He played 82 minutes in the under-21s and he felt his opposite hamstring to the one that has been injured, and we scanned it. He will be out again.”
Here’s all the latest team news for Birmingham and the Sky Blues including a major injury blow, as well as an update on those that are sidelined.
1. Kevin Long - out (continued)
Wayne Rooney said on December 7: "Longy is still a couple of weeks away. "We have been very unlucky with injuries.” Photo: Getty Images
2. Ethan Laird - doubt
Ethan Laird suffered a groin issue against Rotherham United at the weekend. He was replaced in the first-half by Cody Drameh, and his status for Friday is doubtful. He's only just returned from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for several months. Photo: Getty Images
3. Ethan Laird - doubt (continued)
“He felt his groin was tight," Rooney said on December 2. "I don’t know if it’s gone completely, or whether it’s just tight. "That’s something we’ll monitor over the next 24-48 hours. We’ll get to the bottom of it and hopefully it’s not too bad.” Photo: Getty Images
4. George Hall (Birmingham) - out
The teenager has sustained a new hamstring injury, and will be out for up to two months. He had been playing for the under-21's, and played two matches for the young Blues, but now faces a spell on the sidelines once again. Photo: Getty Images