Birmingham City manager Garry Monk says midfielder Maikel Kieftenbeld is ready to play against Leeds United at the weekend.

The 28-year-old missed the 3-2 defeat to West Brom last Friday due to illness but Monk has revealed that the player has been training well all week and will be available for selection against the Whites.

Kieftenbeld has been an important player for the Blues this season, making 35 appearances in the Championship, scoring once.

Monk was speaking to the media ahead of the must-win game at St Andrew's on Saturday and confirmed that he has a full squad to chose from for the match.

Birmingham have lost their last five successive Championship matches and a nine-point deduction from the EFL has seen the club fall from play-off hopefuls into a relegation battle, with the team just five points above the drop zone.

Meanwhile, Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds side are second in the Championship table, two points ahead of third-placed Sheffield United and five behind leaders Norwich City in the race for automatic promotion.

The Verdict:

This is good news for Garry Monk and Birmingham City supporters.

Kieftenbeld has been an important player this season and would have been a big miss for the game against Leeds.

It's a must-win game for both teams at St Andrew's with Birmingham looking to avoid a sixth straight defeat.