McFadden could return for Toffees crunch

Birmingham striker James McFadden has been pencilled in for a comeback in the home Barclays Premier League clash with his former club Everton on April 12.

McFadden underwent keyhole knee surgery last weekend and has indicated to Blues boss Alex McLeish he could be available in two rather than three weeks, which would give him a chance of playing at Wigan on April 5.

But McLeish is still targeting a return to action for McFadden against the club he left in January to join City in a £5million deal.

McLeish said: “To lose McFadden, after the impact he has made since coming in, is a tough loss. It is like one of the big guns losing one of their best players.

“We don’t have an absolute surplus of players who can do what James can do. That is without being disrespectful to the boys. He can bring something different so obviously we will miss a player like that.

“McFadden is in good spirits. He was jumping about the other day saying he would be back in a fortnight rather than three weeks but we will leave it at the three-week mark at the moment for the Everton game.

“If he makes progress earlier than that, it will be a bonus. But the smart money is on the Everton game.”

McLeish is giving no guarantees that Martin Taylor will be the central defender to replace the suspended Liam Ridgewell in Saturday’s home league clash with Manchester City.

Taylor has played only one reserve game since his sending-off against Arsenal nearly five weeks ago for the tackle which left Eduardo with a broken leg.

He is vying with Franck Queudrue, Rafael Schmitz and Radhi Jaidi for a place at the heart of the defence against Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side.

McLeish said: “Taylor is in contention, Queudrue is in contention, Schmitz is in contention.

“We have choices there and we’ve got to find what we feel is the right formula for any particular game.

“We’ve tried Franck (Queudrue) at centre-back in recent reserve games and he’s solid in there.

“He is very aggressive in the air and I know he has played there before for Middlesbrough so there is an option there.

“I know Jaidi has taken a bit of criticism for losing his marker for the deciding goal at Reading but I don’t think he has played badly and I am very loathe to decimate the team every other week.

“Martin Taylor is ready fitness-wise but I have got to consider if it significantly improves the team.

“I think most of our centre-halves are a much of a muchness. There is good competition between them and I don’t think there has been one that is clearly more outstanding than another and they are all justifiably fighting for a spot.”