At least the sun's still shining in Birmingham this afternoon, which is nice.

That's pretty much about the brightest thing you can say as once more both sides fail to take control.

So Birmingham's turn now just to weather a bit of pressure.

Approaching the last 20 minutes and still no goals here, but could this be decided by a mistake or a moment of magic?

Inches away from a Villa opener in this one.

Dangerous free-kick sent in by Conor Hourihane to the penalty spot and John Terry flicks it towards goal with his head.

It's just a sliver away from going inside the post and also from meeting James Chester on the run into the six-yard box.

Image source, Rex Features

And there is that Villa counter-attack.

Cross comes in from the right by Albert Adomah and Jonathan Kodjia rises at the back post to meet the cross.

Great power on the header but Tomasz Kuszczak manages to palm it over the crossbar.

Birmingham look the more likely to force something here on their energy and industry alone.

Villa may just have to sit in and wait for an opening on the break as their hosts tire.

Villa make a first change and Robert Snodgrass makes way for Mile Jedinak in the midfield.

One decent beard is replaced by another.

Another chance comes Birmingham's way as they look to pack the Villa box from set pieces.

Jota's corner goes across to Michael Morrison but his effort fired across the face of goal isn't cleanly met by Sam Gallagher.

The Southampton loanee can't hook it on target and behind it goes for the goal kick.

Jota wasted the best opening of the game for Birmingham City. Will either side break the deadlock or is this derby encounter destined to end goalless? Let us know how you think things will play out.

Image source, Getty Images

This game appears to have gone back to sleep again after that brief spice up.

Seems to be more energy off the pitch between the two sets of supporters more than anything else.

Image source, PA

Glenn Whelan down on the deck again for Aston Villa after Cheikh N'Doye catches him in the face with a flailing arm.

The Birmingham man is in Andrew Madley's notebook for that and becomes the third booking of the afternoon.

Whelan meanwhile is getting a bit of a clean up to his face after that but should be OK to continue.

Well, that's woken up Birmingham City and the crowd.

Jota involved again as Blues come forward on the break, his cross from the right angles in but neither Che Adams or Sam Gallagher in the area can get a head on a teasing ball.

Image source, Rex Features

What a miss and what a huge chance blown by Jota and Birmingham City!

Conor Hourihane gives away the ball in a dangerous area in his own half and the former Brentford winger is on to the loose ball.

He's in on goal but fails to hit the target as he fires over the bar!

Early word from the referee for Joshua Onomah as he concedes a free-kick for Villa on the edge of his own penalty area after a high boot on Maikel Kieftenbeld.

Sam Johnstone has to clear more debris from the crowd behind his goal which holds play up unfortunately.

And we're off again.

Will the blue half or the claret and blue half of Birmingham have the happier Sunday after this?

Teams heading back out there at St Andrew's.

What key messages are ringing in their ears from the half-time team talks?

Image source, PA

Ged Scott
BBC Sport at St Andrew's

Local derbies can sometimes be a disappointment - especially when it's a sunny Sunday lunchtime kick-off on the weekend the clocks have gone back.

There's been a bit of activity at both ends. But we can only hope everyone truly wakes up after the break and that a so far second-rate Second City Derby comes properly to life.

We've got a bit of a football feast at the moment here on BBC Sport.

As well as this action from the Championship, you can follow live WSL football between Manchester City and Birmingham City both on the red button and this website.

Meanwhile, there's build-up to Sunday's first Premier League kick-off at the Amex between Brighton and Southampton.

Image source, Rex Features

Brothers in the goals again, an unbeaten record finally falls and a load of balls stop play are among some of the stories you may have missed from yesterday's EFL action.

Allow Ian Woodcock to talk you through them during the half-time break in his round-up of Saturday's action.

Image source, PA

There was disappointment for Wolves and Cardiff City, who both missed out on the chance to overtake Sheffield United at the top of the table.

Matt Smith's 81st-minute header for QPR at Loftus Road condemned second-placed Wolves to their third defeat of the season, but Neil Warnock's Cardiff at least had the consolation of a point after being held to a goalless draw by Millwall.

Bristol City climbed to fourth by beating struggling Sunderland, while Nottingham Forest loanee Kieran Dowell produced the performance of the day with a hat-trick in their 3-2 win at Hull City.

A 2-0 home defeat by Middlesbrough increased the pressure on Reading boss Jaap Stam and elsewhere there were wins for Derby County, Brentford and Ipswich, with the games between Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley and Fulham and Bolton ending in draws.

Right then, don't go too far during the break.

We'll bring you a recap of how things went in the EFL yesterday and on Friday night before we resume at St Andrew's.