Danny Rowe will be in the U23s side facing Sheffield United at Bramall Lane in a game which has switched to a 3pm kick-off.

Monty Patterson, Ben Folami and Conor McKendry will also be involved but Adam Webster, who is continuing his comeback after his ankle injury and has featured in the last two U23s games, is not included.

Gerard Nash’s U23s have been drawn with the Blades, West Brom and Aston Villa in Group E of this season’s Premier League Cup.

The Blues went out at the group stage last year when they again faced the Baggies - who they beat 2-1 at home a drew 0-0 with away - as well as Liverpool and Huddersfield.

The competition, which replaced the U21 Premier League Cup last season, emulates the format of the Champions League with 32 teams involved in the group stage and the top two in each going through to the last 16.

From there the ties will be one-off knockout games with extra-time and penalties if required. Last year’s competition was won by Swansea.

The Blues U23s are currently third in the Professional Development League Two South table having suffered only their second defeat of the season away against leaders Coventry, who beat them 2-1, on Monday.

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