‎‘Never to Start” – Birmingham City star to be benched after Priske steals shine

Birmingham City’s priority between now and the end of the campaign must be securing a play-off spot and keeping their promotion dream alive.

The Blues currently sit two points adrift of sixth place and remain firmly in contention, provided they can string together a consistent run over the coming months.

A tough test awaits next as they travel to face Norwich City, who have been in formidable form under Philippe Clement, winning eight of their last ten matches in all competitions.

However, Chris Davies’ side can draw encouragement from their FA Cup display at the weekend, where they pushed Leeds United all the way to penalties. In truth, Birmingham were unfortunate not to win it in normal time after striking the post before extra time.

One player who enhanced his case for more league minutes was August Priske. Signed for £6 million from Djurgardens IF in January, the 21-year-old striker was brought in to strengthen the attack for the second half of the season and beyond. Yet he has still not started a Championship match, featuring only as a substitute in four appearances.

Priske’s FA Cup start against Leeds offered plenty of encouragement. The Danish forward won four duels, including three on the ground, linked play effectively with seven completed passes from nine attempts, and drew two fouls.

Despite standing at 6ft 5in, he demonstrated impressive mobility, frequently interchanging with Jay Stansfield and dropping deeper to get involved attributes that have often been missing from Birmingham’s attacking play.

Given that display, Davies now has a strong case to hand Priske his first Championship start against Norwich. Doing so would likely mean relegating Marvin Ducksch to the bench on a more permanent basis.

Ducksch, who arrived from Werder Bremen last summer, has contributed seven goals in 23 outings. While that return offers some value, his overall performances have been inconsistent.

The German forward has largely operated as a finisher, converting seven goals from 6.98 expected goals, but his broader contribution particularly in build-up play and physical duels has been underwhelming.

At Championship level, mobility and intensity are crucial, and Ducksch has struggled in that department. He has fared better aerially than on the ground, yet too often he loses possession in ground duels, limiting Birmingham’s ability to sustain attacks.

In contrast, Priske’s numbers suggest greater effectiveness in those situations, having won three of five ground duels against Leeds and nearly half of his ground contests during the 2025 Allsvenskan season.

Moreover, Priske’s 18 goals in 27 league games last year underline his potential to become a reliable scorer if given a sustained run in the side. With Birmingham chasing a top-six finish, the younger forward appears better suited to lead the line alongside Stansfield.

As a result, Davies may need to consider using Ducksch primarily as an impact substitute for the remainder of the season, turning to him when a clinical touch is required late in games.

Should Priske establish himself as the preferred option, Ducksch who turns 32 next month could find his long-term future at the club uncertain, particularly if changes are made in the summer.