The centre-half will miss the League One clash with the Millers as he serves a one-match ban after being sent off for two yellow cards in Monday’s win over Wrexham.
Blues boss Davies said: “I’m very disappointed to lose him. He’s our captain and an important player.
“But we have a squad for a reason and it gives other players an opportunity.”
Second-placed Birmingham, who are seeking a fifth straight league win this weekend, are without a number of other players because of injuries.
Centre-half/right-back Dion Sanderson is sidelined by a foot issue, while right-back Ethan Laird and attacking midfielder Luke Harris, on loan from Fulham, have ankle complaints.
Left-back Lee Buchanan has a calf problem and midfielder Alfie Chang is still sidelined by the cruciate knee ligament injury that has kept him out of action for more than a year.
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One to watch
Alfie May has scored in four of his five league matches since moving to Birmingham after a prolific season with Charlton Athletic. The Blues paid around £750,000 to land the 31-year-old, who has also played for Doncaster Rovers and Cheltenham Town. May scored 67 times in 165 games over a three-year spell at Cheltenham and his sole season with Charlton brought 27 goals.
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Form guide
Millers: WLLWDD
Birmingham: WWLWDW
Birmingham lost on penalties to Walsall in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy before a 3-1 home league win over Wrexham.
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Recent clashes
Apr 20 2024, Championship: Millers 0 Birmingham 0
Dec 2 2023, Championship: Birmingham 0 Millers 0
Mar 11 2023, Championship: Birmingham 2 Millers 0
Aug 27 2022, Championship: Millers 2 Birmingham 0
Richard Wood 2
Apr 18 2021, Championship: Millers 0 Birmingham 1
Sep 26, 2020, Championship: Birmingham 1 Millers 1
Kieran Sadlier pen
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Opposition boss
Chris Davies left his role as a coaching role at Spurs for a first taste of the hot-seat as boss of Birmingham in June. The 39-year-old’s playing career ended when he was a teenager because of an arthritic condition. A youth coach at Leicester City before spells in America and New Zealand, he then worked at Swansea City, Liverpool and Reading. He was assistant manager under Brendan Rogers at Celtic and Leicester until a move to Spurs in 2023.
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Man in the middle
Edward Duckworth is in his second year on the EFL list and Saturday’s game will be the first time he has refereed the Millers. From Preston, he took charge of 33 matches in his debut season, booking 138 players and showing six red cards. This term, there have been 15 cautions and one sending-off in four outings. He began his career in the Lancashire Sunday League and is chairperson of the Preston Referees’ Association.
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The odds
Rotherham are 11/5 to win, while a Birmingham triumph is 21/20. A draw is 23/10. In 43 contests between the clubs since 1919, Rotherham have seven wins and Birmingham 22.
