Birmingham City are looking to extend their unbeaten run to 18 games and make a statement in the League One title race this weekend.
Wycombe Wanderers, who are currently second in the table and nine points behind leaders Blues, visit St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park for a top-of-the-table showdown.
Blues have blitzed their way through League One to date, accumulating 73 points from 31 matches and dispatched Leyton Orient on Tuesday evening.
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The odds are stacked in Blues’ favour given their their five-game winning streak and unbeaten record in the league on home turf, but Wycombe do have the league’s best away record.
Blues have mounting injury problems meaning Chris Davies might not be able to change much from the win over Orient.
He won’t want to change his back seven. Goalkeeper Ryan Allsop picks himself, as does electric right-back Ethan Laird who has been one of the best players in League One since January 1.
Christoph Klarer, Ben Davies and Alex Cochrane make up the defence. Tomoki Iwata and Paik Seung-ho will play in midfield.
Keshi Anderson would be a shoo-in if fit but Davies projected ‘another week or so’ on Tuesday so it seems unlikely that he will feature. Davies should be able to provide clarity on Anderson’s fitness at his press conference on Friday afternoon.
The form of Willum Willumsson is being debated on the terraces. If Laird has flourished since the turn of the year, Iceland international Willumsson has most definitely faltered.
Willumsson hasn’t registered a goal or an assist in his last seven appearances having been so effective in the early part of the campaign. The only reason he is likely to start against Wycombe is because Davies is low on alternatives right now.
Kieran Dowell should play on the right and Taylor Gardner-Hickman is trusted on the left, even if Emil Hansson is more naturally suited to the role. Davies might tread more carefully with Hansson on his latest return from injury due to the shortage of wide players.
Luke Harris, who scored in Blues' win at Wycombe back in August, is a potential alternative to Willumsson but the Fulham loanee has been used sparingly by Davies in recent weeks.
Alfie May is Blues’ answer up top in the absence of Jay Stansfield and Lyndon Dykes.
Our predicted Blues XI to face Wycombe…
(4-2-3-1): Allsop; Laird, Klarer, Davies, Cochrane; Iwata, Paik; Dowell, Willumsson, Gardner-Hickman; May
