A late change and Dembele decision: Birmingham City’s line-up for Reading predicted
The League One kick-off is upon us and the vast majority of Birmingham City’s starting XI appears to be set in stone.
Reading visit the revamped St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park on Saturday evening (5:30pm kick-off) to begin Blues’ first season in the third tier in three decades. Chris Davies’ side start the campaign as favourites for promotion after making a raft of summer signings.
Several of those signings will start on the opening night including goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell who has edged out Ryan Allsop. Davies has made it apparent in the last two weeks that Peacock-Farrell is first choice and the goalkeeper played the full 90 minutes of friendly victories over Walsall and West Bromwich Albion.
In front of Peacock-Farrell, a defence of Ethan Laird, Dion Sanderson, Krystian Bielik and Alex Cochrane seems likely. New Blues captain Bielik suffered a shoulder injury against Albion but he has reassured fans that it’s ‘nothing serious’.
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Bielik’s availability would mean Christoph Klarer has to make do with a place on the bench. The Austrian provided a goal and an assist against Albion, as well as impressing Davies with his passing, but Sanderson and Bielik have the shirts at present.
Paik Seung-ho is a fixture in midfield and Jordan James was expected to partner him, however news of a potential move to Rennes for the Welshman could change things. Marc Leonard caught the eye with a cameo against Albion and is on standby to start alongside Paik.
Koji Miyoshi has the position on the right sewn up and Willum Willumsson looks certain to start as the number 10 behind striker Alfie May. The question mark in attack centres around the left wing position: will it be Siriki Dembele or Emil Hansson?
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