Former England international Dean Ashton believes that Birmingham City may not have the quality to get out of the relegation zone.

Aitor Karanka's side slipped into the bottom three after a 3-2 loss at Bournemouth yesterday, and with most of their rivals having a game in hand, things do look bleak for Blues.

And, speaking to EFL on Quest, as quoted by Birmingham Live, Ashton admitted he is worried for a Blues side that he feels may not be good enough to get out of the difficult position they find themselves in.

"I thought they were a bit more on the front foot today. I know they scored two today, but they struggle to score goals. They've won one in 11 and they're meandering into the relegation zone. There doesn't seem to be the quality to get them out of it."

The defeat on the south coast does extend a worrying run of form for Karanka's side, as they have now picked up just one win in their last 11 league games.

Blues will hope to end that poor run when they take on Luton at St. Andrew's on Saturday.

The verdict

It may not be what Blues fans want to hear, but they will understand where Ashton is coming from, as the team have been on an alarming run for a while now.

But, some will argue that Birmingham do have the quality to get our of this. They are still a decent squad, with experienced and proven players across the pitch.

Ultimately though, there's no denying that things have to improve quickly, and the game against Luton is massive.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.