Chris Davies fears Demarai Gray’s injury may sideline the influential winger after he was forced off early in Birmingham City’s 1-1 draw with Derby County. Gray had to be substituted in the 16th minute due to discomfort in his calf, replaced by Lewis Koumas, and Davies is doubtful about Gray’s availability for the upcoming match against Southampton.
With a congested fixture schedule featuring games against Southampton, Watford, and Coventry before the Championship pauses for the FA Cup, Davies remains cautious about Gray’s recovery. “Demarai was feeling something early in the game. We tried to see if he could run it off,” Davies explained. “I can’t give a definite timeframe, but usually if you have to come off, it could mean a few weeks out. It looks like a knock to his calf.”
Adding to Blues’ challenges, captain Christoph Klarer received a red card in stoppage time for a high challenge on Derby’s Ebou Adams and will miss the next three fixtures. Davies described the sending-off as an uncharacteristic error from a usually reliable leader. “Christoph has been fantastic and rarely makes mistakes, but this was one of them. He will be a big miss for us.”
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Defensive reinforcements are becoming urgent as Davies hopes for the return of left-back Alex Cochrane within the next 10 days. “Alex has made the left-back position his own in our system. He’s a hybrid left-back and extremely effective. We hope he can be available soon, although the Southampton game might come too soon. He’s an integral part of our setup, and we want him back as quickly as possible.”