Birmingham City: Foot injury sidelines Kevin Phillips for clash with Wigan

Dec 4 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

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KEVIN Phillips is not expected to recover from a foot injury until next week.

He suffered the problem in training before the Wolves match and missed out on the Molineux 18.

“He got a whack on the foot and we were worried about a metatarsal at first,” said manager Alex McLeish.

“The scans were clear but there’s a bruising there which has just taken a bit longer than we would have ideally wanted.

“We’re hoping he will be all right for the game after next.”

Phillips’ absence from the bench has left Blues light of striker options with Garry O’Connor (hip) sidelined for several months and Marcus Bent on loan to Middlesbrough.

It is just one factor why Big Eck is keen to secure another forward in January’s transfer window.

And he had a message for Cameron Jerome and Christian Benitez, who have formed the front alliance to good effect during the past few weeks.

“Jerome and Benitez should welcome competition. They shouldn’t fear that. They should embrace it and see it as a challenge for them,’’ he said.

“If they keep playing the way they did in the first half last week, I think they will get goals.

‘‘They tired a bit in the second half, but their chemistry and movement was good in the first half.”

■ Teemu Tainio faces around two months on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on a knee injury.

Tainio has returned to loaning club Sunderland to begin his rehabilitation.

Gary McSheffrey will be assessed before tomorrow’s match at Wigan Athletic due to a hip injury that forced him off in the reserves 2-1 win over West Ham United on Monday.