A HANDFUL of Academy stars will be given the chance to earn a place in Kevin Keegan's Premiership thinking - starting tonight at Gigg Lane.

City will make the short journey to Bury minus their Euro 2004 stars David James and Paul Bosvelt, while Claudio Reyna and Jihai Sun will also be missing after their busy summer international schedules with the USA and China.

With new signing Ben Thatcher sidelined with a dead leg and Nicolas Anelka nursing a bruised foot, it will give some of the Blues' youngsters a chance to shine, and Keegan will be urging them to nudge him in the ribs.

"I will be taking a big squad to Bury tonight and I plan to mix and match a bit with the kids," he declared. "I will play two totally different teams in each half and there will be plenty of first teamers but mixed with kids who have got a chance.

"The likes of Lee Croft, Bradley Wright-Phillips - who has done well with us in training since he came down here - Willo Flood, Stephen Jordan and Nedum Onuoha will be the ones who play."

Bisch back

Also in the squad will be Danish defender Mikkel Bischoff, who is fully fit after almost two seasons of misery since he made his Premiership debut against Blackburn in September 2004.

Keegan has high hopes that the 22-year-old can make the grade as a central defender.

"Mikkel has a bit of catching up to do but he has the ability to do it," acknowledged the manager.

"He needs a run of games. He has just had one thing after another. Basically two years of one niggly injury after another. This will be a big season for him."

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