Birmingham vs Wigan Athletic - Birmingham close to full strength for visit of Wigan

Posted Monday, March 06, 2017 by PA

Birmingham manager Gianfranco Zola has close to a full squad to choose from as he tries to arrest his side's alarming slide down the Sky Bet Championship table against Wigan.

Blues have slipped to 17th in the standings following Friday's 3-1 home defeat against Leeds and now lie nine points above the relegation zone.

They will have to do without striker Clayton Donaldson for the visit of Wigan despite his return to training following a lengthy lay-off with a heel injury.

Central defender Michael Morrison is also on the sidelines following a groin operation although he continues to make steady progress in his recovery from the surgery. Otherwise Zola has everybody available for selection.

Wigan will be without both Sam Morsy and Shaun MacDonald for the trip to the Midlands.

Morsy will serve a two-match suspension having been booked on 10 occasions, the majority of which occurred while he was on loan at Barnsley, while MacDonald came off early on in Saturday's loss at Blackburn.

Latics are hopeful MacDonald's knee injury is not ligament damage and he has a shot of returning for the clash with Bristol City at the weekend, but both Max Power and David Perkins will come into consideration.

Boss Warren Joyce could be back in the dugout for Wigan having watched from the stands on Saturday after undergoing minor surgery.