Wagner makes 10 changes to starting XI
- David Wagner makes 10 changes to Town XI- Martin Cranie only player to start from Wolves starting XI
- Regan Booty among the substitutes at St. Andrew's
Head Coach David Wagner has made 10 changes to Town’s starting line-up for today’s Sky Bet Championship game against Birmingham City; 3pm kick-off at St. Andrew’s.
Only Martin Cranie survives from the starting XI that sealed Town’s Play-Off place through a 1-0 win at Wolves in midweek; he makes the 300th start of his league career this afternoon.
Joel Coleman starts in goal today, with Danny Ward a substitute. Today is the 21 year-old’s seventh start for the Terriers in all competitions and his first since keeping a clean sheet in the 1-0 home win over Aston Villa on 7 March.
Tommy Smith returns to the defence after a dead leg ruled him out against Wolves, where he lines up alongside Cranie, Tareiq Holmes-Dennis and Mark Hudson, who captains the side today.
Philip Billing and Dean Whitehead line up in central midfield behind the attacking trio of Harry Bunn, Jack Payne and Joe Lolley.
Having returned from a spell out injured as a substitute at Wolves in midweek, this is Bunn’s first Sky Bet Championship start since the 1-0 win at Wigan Athletic on 2 January.
Lolley, meanwhile, has an excellent record at St. Andrew’s, scoring on his last two appearances at the ground.
22 year-old Payne is making the 100th league appearance of his career this afternoon.
Finally, Collin Quaner starts up front in place of Nahki Wells, who is a substitute.
There’s a first appearance on a Sky Bet Championship team sheet for 19 year-old midfielder Regan Booty today. The central midfielder has previously been an unused substitute once for David Wagner’s side in the Emirates FA Cup game at Manchester City in March and is still awaiting his competitive senior debut.
Elias Kachunga (calf), Jon Gorenc Stanković (knee) and Kasey Palmer (hamstring) are ruled out today, whilst Wagner has chosen to rotate and rest Chris Löwe, Rajiv van La Parra, Isaiah Brown and Michael Hefele.
Town’s team vs Birmingham City:
13. Joel Coleman
2. Tommy Smith
4. Dean Whitehead
5. Mark Hudson (c)
8. Philip Billing
11. Harry Bunn
12. Tareiq Holmes-Dennis
14. Martin Cranie
16. Jack Payne
18. Joe Lolley
23. Collin Quaner
Substitutes:
Danny Ward, Jonathan Hogg, Sean Scannell, Aaron Mooy, Nahki Wells, Christopher Schindler, Regan Booty
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