Birmingham City face an anxious wait as their captain and defensive linchpin, Christoph Klarer, walks a suspension tightrope with just two matches remaining before the Championship's yellow card amnesty.
The Suspension Countdown
The Austrian defender picked up his fourth booking of the season during the West Bromwich Albion match, leaving him one caution away from an automatic one-match ban. Should Klarer receive a yellow card against either Watford on Monday or Southampton in their following fixture, he will immediately serve a suspension.
This is particularly significant as the Southampton match represents Birmingham's 19th league game of the campaign, after which the threshold for suspension increases from five yellow cards. Klarer has been an ever-present force in Blues' defence this season, making his potential absence even more concerning for manager Chris Davies.
Potential Consequences and Fixture Nightmare
The timing of any suspension carries additional weight. A booking against Watford would see Klarer miss the emotional return to Southampton, his former club, where he spent four years after joining as a 16-year-old in 2016. Alternatively, a caution at St Mary's would rule him out of the subsequent trip to Queens Park Rangers.
Manager Chris Davies is already familiar with coping without key players due to suspension. Tomoki Iwata will miss the Watford match after collecting his fifth booking at The Hawthorns, while Bright Osayi-Samuel has previously served a ban. However, losing his captain and defensive organiser presents a different challenge entirely.
Replacement Concerns for Blues
Klarer's importance to Birmingham cannot be overstated. Since arriving 18 months ago, the 6ft 4in defender has been a constant presence in the heart of defence and recently signed a new four-year contract recognising his stellar performances. His partnership with Phil Neumann has notably flourished in recent weeks.
Should suspension strike, Davies must turn to either Jack Robinson or Eiran Cashin – both of whom have experienced difficult starts to their Birmingham careers. Robinson has been sent off twice in just four appearances since joining from Sheffield United, though he has recently been reintegrated into the squad.
Cashin's only league start saw him make two errors that directly led to goals in the draw with Sheffield Wednesday. Robinson appeared to be the first-choice backup earlier in the season, potentially offering insight into Davies' thinking, but after his ill-disciplined red card against Hull, the defender certainly owes his manager and supporters a performance when his next opportunity arises.
