Birmingham City manager Garry Monk has piled praise on centre-back Harlee Dean for stepping up to the captaincy in recent weeks. 

Club captain Michael Morrison has been missing with an injury, meaning Dean has had to step-up, but Monk hinted that he is looking for others to do the same.

"We’ve tried to give responsibility to the whole group," he told his pre-match press conference.

"Dean speaks with a little bit more experience and he did fantastically well as captain.

"But we want the youngsters to contribute too, we want the whole group to be leaders."

Dean arrived at St Andrew's from Brentford last summer for just under £2million and has gone on to make 59 appearances for the club since.

The Blues travel to Wigan Athletic this weekend, who have lost just twice at home all season, as they look to close the gap on the top-six.

Monk's side currently sit in 11th place and five points behind Middlesbrough, who currently occupy the final play-off spot going into the weekend's action.

The verdict 

The Blues have been carried so far this season by a mixture of two in-form strikers and some remarkable team spirit.

Dean has really upped his game this season in order to become one of the league's best centre-backs but Garry Monk is the man who deserves the credit for their current success.

It is easy to see why the players have upped their games under his stewardship this season.