Darren Carter
Ex-Birmingham City midfielder on BBC WM

What a chance for Che Adams.

He's looking to the heavens - he knows he should have done better. He should have hit the target at least.

That's the best chance by far in the game.

A chance! Birmingham get to the byline with Lukas Jutkiewicz and he cuts it back for Che Adams but he blazes over! Best chance so far.

Jonathan Grounds has a chance to get forward down the Birmingham left but his cross can't find a Blues player in the middle. But that was a good move.

Image source, Rex Features

Midfielder Maikel Kieftenbeld is back in the Birmingham side for his first start since 1 April and has been lively so far.

Henri Lansbury fouls Birmingham's Craig Gardner and the visitors have a free-kick, near the centre circle.

Gardner sends it forward towards the head of defender Jonathan Grounds but it goes out for a Villa goal kick.

By this point in the reverse fixture earlier this season, Villa were ahead through a Gary Gardner header.

No shots on target yet from either side so far this afternoon, though.

Birmingham striker Lukas Jutkiewicz has the ball in the Villa penalty area with a chance to shoot but Neil Taylor does well to get a foot in and the ball goes out of play.

Image source, Rex Features

Steve Bruce wants more from his side. They're yet to really create a meaningful opening, although neither have Birmingham aside from a couple of early corners.

Che Adams goes in hard on Neil Taylor and then, moments later, Emilio Nsue is penalised for a tough challenge on Jack Grealish. Villa free-kick. But the set-piece comes to nothing.

Ged Scott
BBC Sport at Villa Park

It has not been hard to see over the first 25 minutes of this so far pretty tame affair which of these two sides has something to play for, and which hasn't.

Harry's Blues look far more up for it, but Villa - and the home crowd - do appear to have finally woken up.

Image source, Getty Images

Jack Grealish has a chance to deliver a ball into the box but is well tackled by Maikel Kieftenbeld and Birmingham relieve a brief bit of Villa pressure.

The Villa playmaker will continue and so play resumes with Jack Grealish back on the field.

It has been an aggressive first quarter of the game from both teams, even if neither goalkeeper has had much to do yet.

Villa's Jack Grealish is in fact just getting some treatment for a knock, so we have a pause in proceedings.

Villa break quickly, as the game starts to open up. The hosts are looking to bring Jack Grealish into the game a bit more.

Darren Carter
Ex-Birmingham City midfielder on BBC WM

Steve Bruce is screaming at Jack Grealish - he hasn't really started this game but a lot of that is to do with Emilio Nsue, who is giving him no time on the ball.

A few people have been getting touch on #bbcefl asking why they are unable to listen to live BBC WM commentary online - unfortunately a rights issue prevents us from streaming BBC local radio commentaries of EFL matches on the BBC Sport website and app.

Image source, Rex Features

The noise from both sets of fans is relentless.

Birmingham want a free-kick for a challenge on Jacques Maghoma - who grabbed the ball in assumption that he'd get the decision - but the referee penalises him for handball instead.

Leandro Bacuna beats Birmingham's Maikel Kieftenbeld and gets a good cross in towards Scott Hogan in the middle but Hogan's flick goes out beyond the far post.

It is going to be physical, this game. Villa's Mile Jedinak shows his strength to win the ball in the middle of the park. The hosts send a high ball up towards Scott Hogan but it comes to nothing.

Harry Redknapp will be pleased so far with the energy from his side.

Image source, Rex Features

Before that corner, Birmingham's Craig Gardner was trying to show the referee that some small objects had been thrown at him from the crowd near the corner flag.

The referee was satisfied that it didn't appear too serious at this stage.

From a second Birmingham corner, Craig Gardner bends a ball into the box towards Lukas Jutkiewicz but he can't quite reach it at the far post.