McLeish given double injury boost

James McFadden and Quincy Owusu-Abeyie are back in contention for Birmingham's home game against Sheffield Wednesday after injury.

McFadden was forced to miss the win over Crystal Palace on Tuesday night with the groin problem that he suffered on international duty while Owusu-Abeyie was absent from the squad with a thigh strain.

But both injuries have responded well to treatment and the duo are expected to be involved at some point at St Andrews along with striker Cameron Jerome, who is expected to be fit despite his fierce workout against Palace.

Blues boss Alex McLeish may also welcome back David Murphy at left-back for the meeting with the Owls after recovering from a knee injury.

And McLeish is backing new signing Nigel Quashie to provide City with the attacking impetus from midfield that they have lacked in the early part of the season.

The Blues boss finally signed the former West Bromwich Albion midfielder on a one-month loan and gave him his debut as a substitute in the midweek victory over Crystal Palace.

He said: "People say we have great strikers but they haven't scored as many goals as they should have, although service has a lot to do with that. Kemy Agustien is settling in and his last two games were very good, but the others are more of the defensive type, they're holders who don't get the ball forward. Nigel is known for that.

"We have done the deal to see if Nigel still has the capacity to do that because he has been out for a long time. He knows himself how quickly a career can go because he was out for 15 months.

"Nigel is determined to grab that opportunity."