Latest Birmingham City news from BirminghamLive includes Gary Rowett on Siriki Dembele’s absence and Lee Buchanan’s injury

Gary Rowett has confirmed Siriki Dembele’s absence from the Birmingham City squad for the defeat to Cardiff City wasn’t due to injury.

Out-of-form winger Dembele has only started one of Blues’ last 12 games and dropped out of the squad on Wednesday to accommodate Andre Dozzell’s return. The 27-year-old Ivorian was an ineffective substitute in Blues’ 2-1 defeat to Leicester at the weekend.

Asked if Dembele’s omission was due to an injury or whether he had simply been left out, Rowett replied: “He’s not injured, no.”

Dembele has become a shadow of the player who dazzled at the beginning of his Blues career with three goals in his first six league games, including a brace in a spectacular individual display against Huddersfield Town. At one stage he was considered one of Blues’ most integral players, now he is no longer assured of a place in the squad.

READ: Ethan Laird ‘flabbergasted’ by Blues’ plight and issues relegation message

READ: Gary Rowett rammed home message to Blues players in crisis talks after Cardiff defeat

One player who has been important to Rowett is Lee Buchanan but the left-back is now a doubt for this weekend’s meeting with Coventry City after going off injured against Cardiff. Buchanan had to be replaced by Cody Drameh in the second half.

“Lee just felt his groin a little so we weren’t sure and we haven’t got that direct replacement for him at the moment so Cody had to go on that side,” Rowett said afterwards. “You could see it was tough for him because he’s right footed and he wanted to come back inside all the time.

“With Lee, we just tried to make a sensible decision. It was the same with Krystian (Bielik), he had already started to flag and he had been booked. He has been one of our better players so we didn’t want to lose him really.”