Kristian Pedersen starts: The predicted Birmingham City XI to face Blackpool on Saturday | OneFootball

Birmingham City are winless in their last three and have a mounting injury list as they prepare to host Blackpool on Saturday.

Lee Bowyer’s Blues have been refreshingly good this season compared to recent ones and will be hoping to keep pushing in the right direction at the weekend. A win could see Birmingham break back into the top half of the division and in that close the gap between themselves and the visitors to just one point.

Birmingham held on for a goalless draw at Coventry City last time out and can build on those solids foundations when they welcome Neil Critchley’s newly promoted Tangerines to St Andrew’s.

Ryan Woods and Gary Gardner are out through suspension which leaves the Blues very light in central midfield. While Marcel Oakley is a recent addition to the injury list that includes: Jordan Graham, Maxime Colin, George Friend and Tahith Chong.

The three changes are 17-year-old Jordan James in for Woods, Kristian Pedersen returns from injury to replace Oakley and Lukas Jutkiewicz is preferred to Troy Deeney up front. The Jutkiewicz and Hogan partnership has delivered for Birmingham in times of trouble in recent years and can be leant on again as they look pull themselves out of a minor rut.

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Blackpool will fancy their chances having only lost two of their last 12, winning six in that period, Critchley’s men have the chance to reduce the gap between themselves and the top six to just a point in victory on their travels.