Heskey makes difference for Blues
Birmingham manager Steve Bruce believes his side are transformed when Emile Heskey is in the line-up.
The England striker was absent when Blues suffered their abject 3-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough last month and limped off in the 1-0 loss to Charlton at St Andrews last week.
Bruce hopes he can call on the former Leicester and Liverpool man for the trip to Portsmouth as City aim to put a wayward season on track.
“Everyone knows what an important player Emile is for us,” said Bruce.
“We are a different side when he is in the team and I just wish he had been out there in the second half against Charlton with the number of crosses we got into the box.”
City have only picked up four points from their opening five matches.
They have lost all three of their home games with their only points so far coming with an opening-day draw at Fulham and a local derby success at West Brom.
But Bruce saw enough during the second half of Birmingham’s defeat to Charlton to predict better times are just around the corner.
Bruce said: “We deserved something from the game. In the second half we were very good and it is the best we have played at home this season.
“Sometimes you don’t get the rub of the green and it is frustrating. But if we can keep playing like we did in the second half against Charlton then we will be OK, that’s for sure.
“We have got to take that kind of performance into the game with Portsmouth and also make sure that we keep improving as well.
“We know that we need to start scoring more goals but there are a lot of plus-points out of that game with Charlton that we can build on.”
Bruce is also keen to hit a run of form to repay the backing of the club’s fans and he added: “We have got a great bunch of supporters here.
“They are a fabulous lot and they can see that the team are giving everything they have got.”
