Maik Taylor

Former Fulham goalkeeper Maik Taylor believes he is back to his best for the finale of Birmingham's battle to stay in the Premiership but claims Steve Bruce decision to drop him earlier in the season "was the wrong one".

The City goalkeeper made a couple of well-publicised errors against Everton and Newcastle which condemned Blues to single-goal defeats and he lost his place for a five-game run to Nico Vaesen.

The Northern Ireland number one never felt his general form dipped but he knuckled down and battled to regain his place and has been in fine form in recent games.

Taylor, currently preparing for Wednesday's friendly international with Estonia in Belfast, said: "Do I feel back to my best? Yes, I do.

"A lot has made of a couple of mistakes I made. I didn't feel my form was poor. I just made a couple of errors. I am human.

"Some of the criticism was harsh, in saying my form was poor. Because of the situation we were in at the time, and because we weren't scoring goals, the mistakes were highlighted.

"But I have got broad shoulders. I can take that on the chin. The manager felt he wanted to leave me out. It was his decision. I felt it was the wrong one but that is only my opinion.

"I had to live by it. I am a professional and you have to knuckle down and get on with it.

"Nico Vaesen came in and did exceptionally well. Unfortunately he got sent off at Manchester City and that gave me another opportunity and I have worked hard and things are going alright."

Taylor is in his third season at Birmingham after moving from Fulham