Aitor Karanka has opened up on Dan Crowley's situation on Birmingham City, with the midfielder struggling to make an impact at St. Andrew's this season.

Crowley - who joined Birmingham from Willem II last summer - scored one goal and registered five assists in 38 Championship appearances last season.

The 23-year-old has made only three appearances in the Championship thus far this season, though, having fallen out of favour under Aitor Karanka.

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Crowley has been left out of the matchday squad for the last six games, and has made only one league start for Blues this term.

Speaking to Birmingham Live, Karanka has insisted that Crowley's omissions are down to tactical choices rather than personal choices, following a change in formation.

Birmingham have switched to a 3-5-2 formation, meaning that Crowley's favoured number 10 role isn't available for the midfielder.

Karanka said: "Dan has been unlucky, he was playing when the team was starting, we didn’t win the games, then we had to change shape and we are not playing with a No. 10.

"Obviously it is not his problem, it is the way the team has been improving, for example Gazza [Gary Gardner] wasn’t playing at the beginning and he is playing now.

“I think not playing with a No. 10 is the biggest problem for him.

"He is a player like the rest, I can’t find a player who I can complain about his attitude, Dan is training really well in the way that David Davis is training every day and the way that Maikel Kieftenbeld was training every day."

Birmingham have endured a poor start to the season, and currently sit 17th in the Championship having won three of their opening 11 league matches.

The Verdict

Birmingham's change in formation has led to Crowley falling out of favour.

He thrived in the number 10 role last season, but Karanka likes his teams to play wide and be solid in defence, so the 3-5-2 system does make sense for them to use it.

It's unfortunate, but Crowley will hope that he can force his way back into Karanka's plans sooner rather than later.