Birmingham City travel to Hillsborough tonight under significant pressure to end their barren run on the road, facing a Sheffield Wednesday side entrenched at the foot of the Championship table.
Injury Crisis and Squad Selection Headache
The Blues' preparations for the 7:45pm kick-off on January 20, 2026, are hampered by a familiar list of absentees. Jack Robinson, Alex Cochrane, Ethan Laird, and Demarai Gray are all expected to miss the fixture once more.
There is also a major doubt over Bright Osayi-Samuel, who is due back from the Africa Cup of Nations. His early substitution in Nigeria's third-place play-off has sparked concerns over a potential injury, making him a late fitness test.
Manager Chris Davies has received a boost with the arrivals of Colombian midfielder Jhon Solis and winger Ibrahim Osman. However, their integration presents an immediate logistical problem.
The Five-Loan Rule Conundrum
Osman's signing means Birmingham now have six loan players in their squad: James Beadle, Tommy Doyle, Jhon Solis, Patrick Roberts, Lewis Koumas, and Osman himself. Championship regulations permit only five loan players to be named in a matchday squad, forcing Davies into a difficult selection choice before a ball is kicked.
This rule has contributed to an inexperienced bench in recent games, a situation Davies is desperate to rectify to gain options to influence matches. The impact of a substitute was clear last weekend when Jay Stansfield changed the tempo against Swansea City with his energetic pressing.
Predicted Line-Up for Hillsborough Test
Given his impact, Stansfield is strongly tipped to start alongside Marvin Ducksch in attack, with Kyogo Furuhashi likely dropping out after another quiet outing.
Despite Osman's arrival, Lewis Koumas is predicted to retain his place on the left flank, while Solis is not expected to immediately displace the established midfield pairing of Tommy Doyle and Paik Seung-ho.
In defence, injuries offer Davies little room for manoeuvre. The back line is set to be unchanged, consisting of Tomoki Iwata, Phil Neumann, Christoph Klarer, and Kai Wagner protecting goalkeeper James Beadle.
The stage is set at Hillsborough, where Wednesday have managed a mere four points from 14 home games this season. For Birmingham, it represents a prime opportunity to secure a first away league victory since October and ease the growing pressure.
