Birmingham City face another key game in their battle to avoid relegation from the Championship on Tuesday.
Blues are set to host Middlesbrough at St Andrew’s, in what is a game in hand on the majority of those around them.
Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Millwall means they are currently just a point clear of the bottom three, having drawn one and lost three of their last four games.
Mark Venus is once again set to take charge of Birmingham City, with manager Tony Mowbray still absent for medical reasons.
Middlesbrough meanwhile, come into this one on the back of consecutive wins over Norwich City and QPR. They will be hoping for another win to keep their slender play-off hopes alive.
As a result, this looks as though it could be a tough challenge for Birmingham City, in their pursuit of those all important points.
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Blues look set to be without three players for this clash with Middlesbrough on Tuesday.
Centre back Dion Sanderson will not play, as he serves the final game of his suspension, after his sending off against for Birminingham City against Southampton.
Krystian Bielik is not expected to return from injury until after the international break. Meanwhile, Aflie Chang has long since been ruled out for the season with an ACL injury.
How might Mark Venus could lineup v Middlesbrough
Venus has a number of selection decisions to make for this clash with Middlesbrough.
John Ruddy has made some vital saves for Birmingham City at times this season, which should see him keep his place in goal.
Lee Buchanan should continue as Blues’ most natural available option at left-back. On the other side of defence, Cody Drameh and Ethan Laird have been rotated recently, so it could be the latter’s turn to start here.
In the centre of defence, the absence of Sanderson and Bielik means Emanuel Aiwu and Marc Roberts look set to start again.
January signing Paik Seung Ho has shown enough promise to keep his place in the side for this one. Jordan James could then come into the XI. The teenager has had an excellent season, and his attacking threat could be useful in a game such as this.
Koji Miyoshi is one of Birmingham City’s most natural creators, and so should operate on the right wing again here. After joining in January, Alex Pritchard has overcome the injury issues that blighted the early part of his Blues career. He is now looking more of a threat and so should start here.
On the left-wing, the pace and drive of Siriki Dembele could cause problems for 32-year-old Luke Ayling, so he may return to the starting XI.
This season’s top scorer, Jay Stansfield, could then once again lead the line for these hosts in this one.
Here’s how we think Birmingham City will lineup against Middlesbrough:
Ruddy (GK)
Buchanan
Roberts
Aiwu
Laird
Paik
James
Dembele
Pritchard
Miyoshi
Stansfield