Birmingham City’s mixed fortunes this season continued on Wednesday night, when Chris Davies’ team defeated Queens Park Rangers at St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park.

After three consecutive defeats, a 1-0 victory over the Hoops, combined with a promising performance, saw the Blues close the gap on the Championship’s play-off places to five points with nine matches remaining.

The atmosphere in B9 has fluctuated, as have the club’s on-field results, but there is now renewed hope that last season’s League One champions will break into the top six.

Davies certainly made changes following Birmingham’s terribly poor performance and outcome against Charlton Athletic last Saturday, with some necessitated due to injury and illness-related absences, while others were purely selection-based.

The Blues boss has had plenty of issues and dilemmas to solve in the full-back position this season, so he gave Ethan Laird his first start in six months after returning from a long-term hamstring injury.

However, the former Manchester United player would start in a more unnatural left-back position, as he had in the early weeks of the season, while Tomoki Iwata remained at right-back for the second game in a row.

Laird’s selection in the role was largely due to Kai Wagner’s absence from the matchday squad entirely, with the £2 million January acquisition from Major League Soccer side Philadelphia Union still recovering from a bruising clash with ex-Blues attacker Lyndon Dykes.

Unfortunately for Davies, this means he will be without the crucial defender for a short time, with matches against Sheffield United and Derby County coming up before the season’s last international break.

Chris Davies announces new Birmingham City, Kai Wagner injury setbacks.

Despite an early knock from the Scottish forward, the German defender completed the whole 90 minutes in South London last weekend, in his 13th consecutive appearance since debuting against Coventry City on January 4th.

Wagner was a worry for the previous match against Middlesbrough after suffering a knock against Millwall, but he was able to recover and continue playing at left-back in place of Alex Cochrane, who is also still out with an ankle injury.

However, the 28-year-old is anticipated to not return until at least the beginning of April, when the Blues face Blackburn Rovers on Good Friday to kick off the month.

“Kai got a knock and it looks like it’s going to rule him out for a few weeks which is disappointing,” replied Davies.

He also mentioned Tommy Doyle and August Priske’s absences, saying, “Priske has been sick, so he is not accessible, and Doyle is still not quite right following his illness-related absence.

“We hope those two turn a corner but Kai will be a few weeks.”

Chris Davies still has adequate left-back options, despite natural defensive absences.

In Wagner’s absence, the aforementioned Laird put in an incredibly impressive performance at left-back until being replaced by Jonathan Panzo in the 64th minute, suggesting that Davies may not be particularly concerned with his present possibilities to fill such a vacancy.

However, the Blues manager will be irritated that all three of his natural left-backs are still unable to play, with Cochrane still out, while Lee Buchanan continues to work his way back to full fitness following a major ACL surgery incurred in December of 2024.