Lukas Jutkiewicz is desperate to save Birmingham City from relegation one final time after fast-forwarding his recovery from injury to bolster Gary Rowett's forward options.
The veteran striker made his comeback as a substitute in the 1-1 draw with Huddersfield Town that has left Blues on the brink of relegation. Blues need to beat Norwich City on the final day and hope for a favour from elsewhere.
“There’s no doubt we have got what it takes to turn things around,” said Jutkiewicz. “We know exactly what’s required. We have to go and win the game. That’s our business, we need to take care of that, whatever else happens we can’t control.
“We have a good record in front of a full house at St Andrew’s recently and I have no doubt it will be the same again. I have played in front of these atmospheres in these games at St Andrew’s and it’s incredible. I am sure they are going to see us over the line and we’ll get the win that we need. We just have to take care of ourselves.”
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Jutkiewicz scored the goal that preserved Blues’ Championship status three games early last year. In relegation battles past, Jutkiewicz made vital contributions to help Blues stay up late in the day in 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021.
With his contract due to expire this summer, the Norwich game could be Jutkiewicz’s final stand at St Andrew’s. Maybe the final chapter of his Blues story is still to be written. “It wasn’t the case (at Huddersfield) but I’ll be giving it everything to go and do that on Saturday.”
It was feared that Jutkiewicz’s Blues career was over in mid-March when his knee buckled under him during the closing stages of the defeat to Watford. The fact he made himself available against Huddersfield and will patch himself up for Norwich is testament to his own commitment to the cause.
“It’s been a big effort from myself and the staff, the physios and the medical team,” Jutkiewicz added. “I was desperate to be here. It might have been fast-forwarded a little bit but that’s the situation we’re in and I wanted to be able to help out.”
