Dean Gerken makes a shock return in goal for the dropped Bartosz Bialkowski in a much-changed Town team facing Norwich in this afternoon’s East Anglian derby (KO midday). Loanees Jon Walters and Jordan Graham make their second Blues debuts, Matthew Pennington his first, while Jordan Spence returns at right-back.
Trevoh Chalobah, Ellis Harrison and Tayo Edun all drop to the bench alongside Bialkowski, while Toto Nsiala is suspended with manager Hurst making six changes from the team which lost 2-1 at Sheffield Wednesday last week. Janoi Donacien is the loan player to miss out on a place in the 18 with only five permitted in a matchday squad.
The Blues look set to switch to a 4-4-2 system with Walters off Kayden Jackson up front and Graham and Gwion Edwards in the wide roles. For Norwich, ex-Blues striker Jordan Rhodes starts.
Town: Gerken, Spence, Pennington, Chambers (c), Knudsen, Edwards, Skuse, Nolan, Graham, Walters, Jackson. Subs: Bialkowski, Chalobah, Harrison, Ward, Downes, Edun, Kenlock.
Norwich: Krul, Aarons, Hanley, Klose, Lewis, Tettey, Buendia, Pukki, Leitner, Hernandez, Rhodes. Subs: McGovern, Godfrey, Zimmermann, Stiepermann, Trybull, Srbeny, Thompson. Referee: Robert Jones (Merseyside).