Another setback for manager Wayne Rooney, Birmingham City will be without Juninho Bacuna this weekend when they play Southampton.
Bacuna received his fifth caution of the year against Hull City on Wednesday night, and he will now miss one match. Referee John Busby spoke with Bacuna after his sixth foul of the game during stoppage time, and Bacuna was then booked.
The 26-year-old midfielder, who was left off of the starting lineup against Middlesbrough on Saturday, was making his debut under Rooney. He won’t be playing when the Blues make their first visit to St. Mary’s since 2011. Chris Wood scored for Blues, but they lost 4-1 that game.
Against Hull, Krystian Bielik escaped a yellow card, meaning the Polish midfield player is still only one booking away.
In addition to Bacuna, Rooney will be without several players due to injury. Lee Buchanan, Keshi Anderson and Tyler Roberts have all been ruled out until after the November international break. Alfie Chang, meanwhile, is a long-term absentee after suffering an injury to his ACL in August.
Ethan Laird and George Hall both trained on Tuesday and could return in the coming weeks. According to Rooney, Laird has an outside chance of facing Southampton.
