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With no fresh injury worries to contend with in the wake of last weekend’s FA Cup defeat at Arsenal, Aitor Karanka has pretty much the pick of his squad as he ponders what side to start with at St Andrew’s.

Daniel Ayala is the key absentee, and the centre-half is expected to be sidelined for at least another fortnight. Damia Abella remains a month or so away from fitness, while Rhys Williams is not expected to play again this season.

TACTICS

Last week, Karanka sprung a surprise as he went with three centre-halves for the trip to Blackpool. That was a case of selecting a specific side for a very specific set of conditions at Bloomfield Road, with the dreadful state of the pitch having been well-publicised before kick-off.

It would be a huge shock if Karanka was to be similarly experimental tonight, so expect to see the 4-2-3-1 system he has adopted for the vast majority of his time on Teesside. With one member of the attacking-midfield trio likely to be a forward, it is fairly easy for the formation to morph into two up front when Boro are on the front foot.

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WHO SHOULD START?

For all that Karanka has spoken about Tomas Mejias appearing again this season, Dimi Konstantopoulos will surely return to take up his place in goal.

With Ayala sidelined, Ben Gibson and Kenneth Omeruo should get the nod at centre-half. Jonathan Woodgate’s goalscoring return at Blackpool was something of a fairytale, but the veteran’s lack of pace could be exposed if he starts tonight.

George Friend’s position at left-back is watertight, and given the likelihood of the lively Demarai Gray returning on Birmingham’s left, I’d give the lightning-quick Ryan Fredericks the nod at right-back ahead of Tomas Kalas.

Adam Forshaw is champing at the bit for another chance to impress in a holding-midfield position, but tonight is not the night for that. Grant Leadbitter alongside Adam Clayton is surely the way to go.

The identity of the centre-forward dictates what happens in the rest of the team, and I’d recall Jelle Vossen ahead of Kike. There’s not a lot to choose between the two, but with Birmingham’s centre-halves both physically imposing, but not necessarily the slickest on the ground, Vossen’s superior technique could prove crucial.

Starting Vossen up front makes the option of going with Patrick Bamford on the left rather than Adam Reach more appealing, and Albert Adomah has done very little wrong in recent weeks so he deserves to retain his place on the opposite flank.

Lee Tomlin hasn’t quite been able to match his January form this month, but given he was the Championship Player of the Month, that’s hardly a major criticism. He remains the man for the pivotal ‘number ten’ role.

SCOTT'S STARTING XI (4-2-3-1)

Konstantopoulos; Fredericks, Gibson, Omeruo, Friend; Leadbitter, Clayton; Adomah, Tomlin, Bamford; Vossen.

SUBS: Mejias (gk), Kalas, Woodgate, Forshaw, Reach, Wildschut, Kike.