INJURY QUANDARY FOR McLEISH

McLeish - heavily depleted squad.

Manager Alex McLeish is set to be without a number of first-team regulars when Birmingham open their Championship campaign against Sheffield United.

Defender Radhi Jaidi is likely to miss the game with a hamstring problem while new-boy Kemy Agustien is recovering from a groin operation and will also miss out.

Blues' latest signing Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, who arrived from Russian side Spartak Moscow on Thursday, needs to work on his match fitness and is unlikely to feature.

Club captain Damien Johnson has a back injury that will keep him out of the squad for at least two months, so Lee Carsley will be handed the captain's armband in his absence.

James Beattie and Keith Gillespie will both miss Sheffield United's opening-day clash.

Beattie, last season's leading goalscorer, has yet to return to full match fitness following minor knee surgery, while Gillespie badly sprained an ankle in last month's friendly against Bury.

Summer loan signings Greg Halford and Matthew Spring could be in line for their competitive debuts, with manager Kevin Blackwell expected to pick two from four available strikers.

New recruit Darius Henderson and Danny Webber were both rested in last weekend's friendly against Huddersfield, while Billy Sharp and Jon Stead started.

David Cotterill is expected to start out wide on the right, with Gary Speed and Michael Tonge in central midfield and Stephen Quinn, Spring, Nick Montgomery and Lee Hendrie all vying for starting places.