Birmingham defender Liam Ridgewell will be unavailable for the home Premier League clash with Manchester City as he begins a two-game suspension.

Ridgewell will also be ruled out of the away encounter with Wigan next weekend after picking up 10 yellow bookings during the current campaign.

Martin Taylor is favourite to replace him and start his first senior game since his red card against Arsenal for the tackle on Eduardo which earned him a three-game ban.

Playmaker James McFadden (knee) is still injured but Olivier Kapo could play some part after returning to training following a hamstring problem.

Manchester City's Dietmar Hamann returns from suspension..

Of City's midfielders, only Martin Petrov has made more league starts than Hamann this season.

Midfielder Michael Johnson, 20, should be fit despite struggling this week with a chest infection but England defenders Michael Ball and Micah Richards (both knee) remain on the sidelines.