Birmingham City defender Kai Wagner is set for evaluation today after sustaining a concerning shoulder injury in last night’s 3-0 defeat at Millwall.
The left-back was forced off midway through the second half at The Den, following a tough challenge from Millwall’s Ryan Leonard that left Wagner visibly in pain. Physio Pete Shaw attended to him on the pitch, and although Wagner could move his shoulder, the discomfort was too severe for him to continue. Ethan Laird stepped in for the closing 25 minutes.
Manager Chris Davies expressed his unease about Wagner’s condition, stating, “I don’t know if it’s a dislocation but it’s a heavy whack and it doesn’t look too promising right now. We will find out more information about that in the morning.”
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This injury adds to Birmingham’s defensive worries. Midfielder Paik Seung-ho is already sidelined with a shoulder injury and is postponing surgery in order to support Birmingham’s push for the play-offs and contribute to South Korea’s World Cup campaign.
Losing Wagner for an extended period would present a significant challenge, as the squad currently lacks a natural replacement. Alex Cochrane remains sidelined with an ankle injury until at least April, while Lee Buchanan is gradually returning after a 14-month absence due to a serious ACL injury.
While Laird, recently recovered from a hamstring injury, is the most immediate replacement option, manager Davies can also consider deploying left-footed centre-back Jack Robinson at left-back once again.