Birmingham City Football Club News

• Nickname:Blues
• Founded:1875
• Manager:Chris Hughton

• Ground:St Andrew's
• Capacity:30,016

Carsley missing until March

14 Jan 2010 - 16:03:00

Click To Enlarge

Birmingham City do not expect to have Lee Carsley available until March following the ankle injury he sustained against Nottingham Forest.

The 34-year-old midfielder limped out of the FA Cup third round meeting with the Championship club on January 2.

Carsley's ankle injury does not require surgery but Blues boss Alex McLeish is not expecting to have the veteran midfielder back in contention for a first-team place for a further six weeks.

"You are probably looking at Lee being out for six weeks," he revealed.

"He has not had an operation, he is just getting daily treatment. His ankle is in a boot, is stabilised and that is going to help him more.

"But he doesn't need any surgery."

Meanwhile, McLeish has admitted the injury to Carsley may force him to throw new signing Michel into the fray.

The Spaniard arrived at St Andrew's from Sporting Gijon earlier in the week and may have to step in should either Barry Ferguson or Lee Bowyer pick up injuries or suspensions.

"If anything should happen to my midfielders then I want him right to come in and he has got to adjust quickly," he added.

"He can't be of a mindset that he is just breaking himself in for next season. He has got to be here saying 'I want to challenge Ferguson and Bowyer."'