Jordan Gabriel set to miss Blackpool’s clash with Birmingham

Posted Saturday, April 16, 2022 by PA

Blackpool are likely to be without Jordan Gabriel when Birmingham visit Bloomfield Road on Easter Monday.

The defender was withdrawn before half-time in Good Friday’s defeat at West Brom with a suspected recurrence of a hamstring injury and seems set to be sidelined.

Fellow defender Richard Keogh was a late withdrawal because of illness in the 2-1 loss at the Hawthorns, where midfielder Charlie Kirk was absent from the matchday squad altogether.

Luke Garbutt is a doubt after not training last week due to illness while this game comes too soon for Dan Grimshaw (concussion), with Kevin Stewart (quad) and Dujon Sterling (ankle) longer-term absentees.

Birmingham could include Nico Gordon from the off.

The defender hobbled off in the final quarter of an hour in the 4-2 defeat at home to Coventry but Blues head coach Lee Bowyer revealed the teenager was just suffering with cramp.

With the short turnaround in fixtures and his side throwing away a two-goal lead against the Sky Blues, Bowyer could elect to shake up his XI although Zach Jeacock is set to continue in goal, with Neil Etheridge missing out because of a concussion he sustained against Nottingham Forest last weekend.

Defender George Friend (knee) and Manchester United loanee Tahith Chong (hamstring) remain sidelined.