Birmingham City could be without as many as six first-team players for their upcoming Good Friday fixture against Crawley Town at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park.
Chris Davies’ side are aiming to respond after Sunday’s 2-0 defeat to Peterborough United in the Vertu Trophy final at Wembley. However, their squad could be severely stretched as several key figures are battling injury problems.
Among the absentees is captain Krystian Bielik, who was a surprise omission from the matchday squad for the final. The Polish international had only just returned from a knock in the league match against Peterborough, but his absence was explained by Davies earlier this week.
Blues’ Battered Squad
Defensive midfielder Bielik is joined on the sidelines by winger Emil Hansson, who picked up a fresh injury in training earlier this month. The Swede has endured a frustrating campaign with multiple setbacks and is now facing another spell on the sidelines, though his manager insists his season is not over.
Scott Wright is another long-term absentee, having undergone knee surgery after being injured at Reading in February. The former Rangers man is not expected to return before the end of 2025.
Striker Lyndon Dykes is also unavailable after suffering a calf injury in the same game at Reading. The Scotland international is targeting a return before the end of the season, although his presence at Wembley in a protective boot raised concerns over his progress.
Lee Buchanan, meanwhile, has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign after suffering a serious knee injury against Blackpool. He has started light rehabilitation work but is expected to be out for several months.
“It was an injury,” said Davies of Bielik. “It’s just a knock that he picked up from that game and he will be out of action for a couple of weeks I would say from now.”
The sixth potential absentee is not named but concerns remain within the squad, as Davies looks to rotate ahead of the final run-in following the club’s confirmed promotion from League One.
Site Opinion
Promotion may have already been secured, but Birmingham’s injury list is a reminder that momentum matters. Davies will want to manage minutes wisely ahead of the run-in, but with key players unavailable, it’s a balancing act between protecting his squad and maintaining performance levels. Crawley might be fighting for survival, but Blues will need depth and discipline to avoid a post-promotion slip.
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