Birmingham vs Aston Villa LIVE: Second City derby updates, team news, highlights

Birmingham vs Aston Villa – Express Sport brings you live coverage of the Second City derby from St Andrew’s.

22: Steve Bruce sends a number of Aston Villa subs out to warm-up and the Birmingham fans launch their cardboard clappers at them. 

16: BOOKING!

Robert Snodgrass and Che Adams exchange words, Cheikh N’Doye and John Terry pile in before referee Andy Madley breaks it up.

Madley then shows Snodgrass and Adams a yellow card each.

15: SAVE!

Robert Snodgrass whips in the resulting corner, John Terry wins the header but it’s straight at Tomasz Kuszczak.

14: CHANCE!

Aston Villa have the ball on the edge of the box but struggle to find a way past Birmingham’s stubborn defence. The ball falls to Glenn Whelan but his 25-yard effort is blocked and goes out for a corner.

12: Birmingham break up an Aston Villa attack, midfielder Maikel Kieftenbeld wins the ball and storms down the pitch but his long-range shot is blocked.

8: SAVE!

Jonathan Kodjia comes deep to pick up the ball, he twists and turns his marker on the edge of the box and unleashes a left-footed strike but it’s an easy save for Tomasz Kuszczak.

7: It’s been a scrappy start, a lot of long balls, with referee Andy Madley calling a lot of early fouls.

2: CHANCE!

Ahmed Elmohamady whips in a cross from the right wing, Jonathan Kodjia beats his marker to the ball but heads wide.

1: PEEP! Aston Villa get us underway in the Second City derby!

12.00pm: The two teams are out the tunnel, with the players walking on to the pitch flanked by flaming columns at a packed St Andrew’s.

11.55am: Birmingham’s one change sees club-record signing Jota replaced Jacques Maghoma on the wing.

Jota’s struggled to make an impact at St Andrew’s due to injury but he was in lethal form for Brentford before his move.

Since January 14, the Spaniard has been involved in 20 goals – 12 strikes and eight assists.

11.50am: Steve Bruce has been explaining his starting XI to Sky Sports.

Josh Onomah is favoured to Keinan Davis in attack and the Tottenham loanee’s performance against Fulham last weekend swayed Bruce’s mind.

Kick-off is less than 10 minutes away. 

11.30am: Today marks the beginning of a busy week of fixtures for Birmingham but Steve Cotterill will take no excuses if this side don’t give it their all.

“You can’t save yourself,” Cotterill said. “It’s not ‘there’s three games in six days so you’ve only got to give a little bit on Sunday, a little bit more on Wednesday’, no, no, no. 

“We have to be flat out at the moment because we are not right, we have to be flat out. 

“It’s when we come off and we are not flat out that’s our problem. We have to be at full tilt.

“Then Wednesday will take care of itself and so will next Saturday – and that will be something that myself, my staff will look at after the game. 

“First and foremost, our only thought is on Sunday’s game.”

11.20am: Aston Villa winger Albert Adomah is out for “revenge”.

Adomah’s first experience of the Second City derby was brought to a premature end last year after picking up an injury in a collision with Birmingham keeper Tomasz Kuszczak. 

“It’s like I’m out for a bit of revenge this time,” he said. “I want to last longer than 25 minutes. That is my target!

“Then if I do I can look forward to the rest of the game. I was a bit disappointed to only last 25 minutes away from home and be substituted. I wasn’t happy about that. This season I’m fired up!”

11.10am: Sky Sports’ Championship expert David Prutton is predicting an entertaining 2-2 draw.

He said: “If you can’t get yourself up for a game like this then what can you get yourself up for? 

“The Second City derby returns and it should be a fabulous occasion as St Andrew’s. 

“Steve Cotterill was riding high after winning his first game in charge against Cardiff, but Birmingham came down with a bit of a bump at Millwall last week and he’ll want a reaction here.

“Aston Villa, meanwhile, are in the play-offs and they’ll want to continue to close in on the top two, but I feel like this will be a draw. Albeit an entertaining one.”

11.00am: Birmingham vs Aston Villa LINE UPS

Birmingham boss Steve Cotterill makes one change from the 2-0 defeat at Millwall.

Club-record signing Jota replaces Jacques Maghoma in the starting XI.

Aston Villa are unchanged from the 2-1 win against Fulham. 

Birmingham: Kuszczak, Colin, Morrison, Roberts, Grounds, Davis, Ndoye, Kieftenbeld, Jota, Adams, Vassell

Subs: Trueman, Dean, Gardner, Maghoma, Boga, Gallagher, Jutkiewicz

Aston Villa: Johnstone, Elmohamady, Chester, Terry, Hutton, Whelan, Hourihane, Onomah, Adomah, Snodgrass, Kodjia

Subs: Steer, De Laet, Samba, Jedinak, Bjarnason, Hogan, Davis

10.55am: Birmingham have sent their supporters a reminder to avoid anti-social behaviour.

A statement from the club read: “We have worked hard with supporter groups, police and relevant football authorities to curb anti-social behaviour at home and away games, so that fans can watch and enjoy the matchday experience in safety.

“And we are reminding supporters that misconduct or disorder will result in arrest and possible prosecution in the courts. The Club will ban offenders also.

“The carrying, lighting or throwing of pyrotechnics, including smoke bombs or flares, is also cause for arrest and potential court action.

“And the Club could face sanction from the FA in regard heavy financial penalty and be ordered to play games behind closed doors in the most serious of cases.

“Therefore we ask supporters to consider their actions carefully and conduct themselves in the correct manner so all fellow supporters, the future generations of fans and the public in general feel welcome, safe and experience the true Blues matchday atmosphere as, after all, it’s Your Crest, Your Club, Your City.”

We will have the line ups in five minutes!

10.50am: Express Sport’s BIG-MATCH PREDICTION

It’s going to be a tight, nervy affair, low on goals and quality but high on drama.

Birmingham boss Steve Cotterill will have his side fired up and well drilled, while Aston Villa have ground out results without producing much flair this term. 

Blues were mightily impressive in the 1-0 home win against Cardiff City earlier this month. 

A repeat of that performance could have them celebrating their first league win against Villa since 2005. 

You would expect a big performance from John Terry in defence for Villa, but the electric pace of Isaac Vassell could cause him difficulties. 

Jonathan Kodjia will be desperate to score his first goal for Villa against Blues, but he is still working his way back to full fitness.

The visitors are heavy favourites but I’ve come to expect the unexpected from the Championship, so I’m calling a 1-0 win for Birmingham. 

10.45am: A win for Birmingham would lift them to 19th in the Championship table, while victory for Aston Villa would see them climb to fourth.

A draw would see both sides remain where they currently are in the table.

10.40am: It will a surprising day of results in the Championship yesterday.

Wolves failed to return to the top of the table because they suffered a 2-1 defeat against QPR at Loftus Road. 

Cardiff City also slipped up at home to mid-table Millwall – that was a goalless draw.

Fulham had to rely on a last-minute equaliser from Tom Cairney to drop against rock-bottom Bolton Wanderers at Craven Cottage. 

Sheffield Wednesday boss Carlos Carvalhal faces more questions about his future after a 1-1 draw in the South Yorkshire derby with Barnsley.

Sunderland’s nightmare campaign continued with a 2-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light to Bristol City, who climb to fourth.

Brentford are unbeaten in six after a 3-2 win at Preston North End. 

Derby County made it three wins on the spin, the latest a 2-1 triumph at Norwich City.

Middlesbrough picked up a win at Reading while Nottingham Forest beat Hull City 3-2 in the tea-time game.

10.35am: According to bookies Betsafe, Aston Villa are favourites to pick up all three points.

Birmingham – 21/10 Draw – 11/5 Aston Villa – 7/5

10.30am: We’re 90 minutes away from kick-off, while the line ups will be revealed in half-an-hour.

Birmingham are without two players – David Stockade and Carl Jenkinson – while Aston Villa expect to be missing Andre Green, Jack Grealish and Gabriel Agbonalhor. 

We expect Steve Bruce to name an unchanged XI from the Fulham win, but Steve Cotterill could make a couple of changes to his Blue side.

Here are Express Sport’s predicted line ups.

Birmingham: Kuszczak; Colin, Morrison, Roberts, Grounds; Davis, Gardner, Ndoye; Jota, Vassell, Adams

Aston Villa: Johnstone; Elmohamady, Chester, Terry, Hutton; Whelan, Hourihane, Onomah; Snodgrass, Kodjia, Adomah

10.25am: Despite Birmingham’s need for all three points, Blues defender Paul Robinson believes the pressure’s on Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce.

“Aston Villa are a massive club and he knows he’s got to produce,” Robinson said. 

“He’s put together a fantastic squad and they look like they’re gelling, but we’ll go into it not afraid and know that we can give them a good game and beat them.

“[Bruce] will be doing his best to wind up his opponents before the game, but that’s part and parcel of being in these local derbies. 

“We know what he’s trying to achieve there and we know he’s got a tough job.”

10.20am: Sam Johnstone believes Aston Villa have more quality than Birmingham.

“It’s a massive game and both teams will be up for it,” the Villa loanee said. 

“I think we’ve got the better team with more quality and hopefully that will see us through, but in a derby game anything can happen.

“We go into every game wanting to win but this game is a little bit different. 

“We want to do it for ourselves but also for the fans, so we’re buzzing just as much as the fans are.”

10.00am: This. Is. It! This is the big one, the game we’ve been waiting for all weekend. The Second City derby. Birmingham City vs Aston Villa. Jasper Carrot vs Prince William. Mike Skinner vs David Cameron. 

Birmingham head into the clash sitting 21st in the Championship while Villa occupy the final play-off spot.

Blues have already undergone a managerial change this season, with Steve Cotterill replacing Harry Redknapp.

Redknapp paid the price for a slow start to the campaign, despite signing 14 players during the summer transfer window. 

Villa’s opening weeks of the season were also disappointing, and Steve Bruce came under pressure. 

But Bruce has rallied his troops and last weekend’s win against Fulham saw them climb into the top six. 

It’s set to be a thrilling clash and Express Sport will have you covered from the first whistle to the last. 

If you’re wonder how you can watch the game, then here’s all the information you need: Birmingham vs Aston Villa LIVE STREAM: How to watch the Second City derby