The Republic of Ireland international will make just his third Championship start of the season, with Jakov Medic on the bench.
The only other change to the team which started City’s last game – the home defeat by Leicester a fortnight ago which cost Liam Manning his job – sees Jack Stacey come in at right back, meaning Kenny McLean can shift to a more familiar central midfield role. Pelle Mattsson drops out.
Kellen Fisher switches back to left back.
Up top, Josh Sargent will lead the line, with Mathias Kvistgaarden, who has scored in his last two games.
Matej Jurasek was missing from the squad because of illness.
Birmingham City: Beadle, Tomoki, Neumann, Klarer, Cochrane, Doyle, Leonard, Roberts, Stansfield, Gray, Ducksch. Subs: Allsop, Osayi-Samuel, Cashin, Robinson, Anderson, Kanya, Koumas, Dykes, Furuhashi.
Norwich City: Kovacevic, Stacey, Duffy, Darling, Fisher, Topic, McLean, Makama, Kvistgaarden, Schwartau, Sargent. Subs: Grimshaw, Medic, McConville, Wright, Springett, Mattsson, Forson, Marcondes, Mundle-Smith.
Referee: Anthony Backhouse