After a poor start, it has been a pretty successful season thus far for Birmingham City,

Garry Monk has guided the Blues to eighth in the table after 30 matches, and off the play-off places by just four points.

They lead a clutch of clubs on the same points and are the closest challengers to Derby County in seventh and Bristol City who occupy the final place in the top-six, with both on 47 points.

It has taken a long time for Monk to find consistency and continuity within his Birmingham side and once that was achieved, they have motored up the league and have gone from relegation fodder to genuine play-off contenders.

Monk has had little wriggle room in the transfer window, having to make do with his current side and bringing youngsters through with there only being less than a handful of signings coming into the club.

That makes what the manager has done at St Andrew’s even more impressive.

With that said, when fully fit, this is the best Birmingham City XI available to Monk.

Monk operates with a 4-4-2 system that gets the best out of his players, and that starts at the back with Lee Camp in goal. 

Kristian Pedersen lines up at left-back with a defensive pairing at the heart of the backline of Harlee Dean and Michael Morrison with Maxime Colin at right-back.

A flat-midfield four with Jacques Maghoma on the left and talisman Jota on the right-hand side compliment the midfield duo of Maikel Kieftenbeld and Gary Gardner.

In attack, one of the most potent pairings in the Championship, and it could even be argued, in English football at present, Che Adams and Lukas Jutkiewicz - who have 26 goals between them in the second-tier.