Defensive worries for Blues

Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish faces major selection problems ahead of his team’s daunting return to the Barclays Premier League at Manchester United on Sunday.

Defenders Liam Ridgewell, Martin Taylor, Scott Dann, Giovanny Espinoza and David Murphy are all unavailable.

Midfielder Lee Bowyer is suspended while striker Marcus Bent is sidelined by a hamstring problem.

But new signings Joe Hart, Roger Johnson, Gregory Vignal and Barry Ferguson will all make their debuts.

Fellow new boy, striker Christian Benitez, could be on the bench as he continues his recovery from shoulder surgery.

Team (from): Hart, Taylor, Carr, Roger Johnson, Queudrue, Vignal, Parnaby, Larsson, Carsley, Ferguson, McSheffrey, Damien Johnson, Fahey, McFadden, Jerome, O’Connor, Phillips, Benitez, Sammons, Wilson.