Blues boss: Phillips is born finisher

Blues boss Alex McLeish hailed Kevin Phillips as "a born finisher" after his sensational last gasp goal on his league debut against Sheffield United.

The former West Brom hot shot, who arrived on a free transfer last month, struck in the third minute of stoppage time to snatch a 1-0 win on Saturday.

McLeish's partially-reconstructed team produced a subdued performance against the determined and well-organised Blades and did not force a save out of United keeper Paddy Kenny in 90 minutes.

Phillips started the game on the bench, but came on with 25 minutes left, replacing Gary McSheffrey. He repaid the manager's faith, scoring a delightful shot on the turn after bringing the ball down superbly with his back to goal.

McLeish said: "That sums Phillips up. He is a born finisher if he gets half a chance.

"The game had turned a bit anxious for us, which was understandable on the first home game of the season in the Championship and with all the expectation.

"Everybody became a wee bit edgy but the players held their nerve and the fans held their nerve. Phillips did what he does best."

"I have got a quality finisher and a guy that I would have liked to have worked with a few years ago.

"Losing Forssell in the summer, I felt we needed a goalscorer and Kevin was the one that stuck out a mile. I knew he was having an issue with West Brom and we waited patiently in the wings.

"In the end we got our man and he is a player that you completely trust when you are standing in the dugout."

McLeish, who currently has five first team strikers at his disposal, also hinted that he had not yet decided on his first-choice strike partnership.

The former Scotland boss, who opted to start with James McFadden and Marcus Bent on Saturday, suggested the front two would be picked on merit.

He said: "Bent and McFadden started but it could have been the other way about, Kevin and Garry O'Connor could easily have started, Kevin and Bent even.

"We went with a smaller striker with a bigger one today but it is a squad game nowadays. It will be a hard school, because the guys who are on top form are going to make it difficult for me to leave them out."