Chris Maxwell is called into action again in Preston's goal as he reaches across to his right to palm away a Keinan Davis header.

He didn't know the offside flag had gone up against Davis from Conor Hourihane's cross, but a decent reaction nonetheless.

Both sides go close at St Andrew's.

First Brentford's Lasse Vibe gets a shot away from 12 yards out after good work by Ollie Watkins to win the ball back for the visitors, but he's denied by Blues goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak.

Then at the other end, Cheikh Ndoye heads wide from substitute David Cotterill's corner.

Half a shout from Preston for a penalty as Sean Maguire appears to go down under a challenge from James Chester just inside the box.

Nothing given by referee Peter Bankes and Villa survive on 20 minutes.

Preston force a corner for the first time tonight from Daniel Johnson's deep free-kick.

John Terry is there to eventually head clear the danger from a Jordan Hugill header back across goal and then Johnson wastes a second chance to threaten from a corner as his delivery is off target and goes out of play the other side of goal.

Blues are still looking the more likely to score at St Andrew's, with Brentford defenders on hand to block efforts from Jacques Maghoma and David Davis.

No goals yet, which is a bit different to the most recent meeting between the two managers - Steve Cotterill and Dean Smith.

On that occasion in May 2015, Cotterill's Bristol City beat Smith's Walsall 8-2 and defender Aden Flint scored a hat-trick.

Image source, Empics

Preston clearly rocked by conceding that early goal and now a big test of character you feel for Alex Neil's side.

They've come into this game on the back of two straight defeats and no win in their past four games.

Bad news for Birmingham as full-back Maxime Colin is carried off on a stretcher inside the first 10 minutes at St Andrew's.

That's not the way that the former Brentford man wanted to mark his first appearance against his old club since leaving the Bees in the summer.

David Cotterill comes on to replace Colin.

First big chance of the game for Aston Villa inside eight minutes.

Alan Hutton bursts out of defence down the left, finds Albert Adomah in space and the winger squares towards Keinan Davis on the edge of the box.

Davis lets loose with a left-foot shot but Chris Maxwell is equal to it in Preston's goal and parries it away to safety.

Birmingham have had the better of the early stages against Brentford but haven't forced Dan Bentley into a save yet.

Barring an unlikely win by 10 goals or more, Blues will remain in 21st place whatever the final result this evening.

Early half-chance at Deepdale for visitors Aston Villa as Preston fail to fully clear a free-kick and Robert Snodgrass almost wraps his foot round a half volley.

The Scotland midfielder doesn't make full contact and it lands safely on the roof of Chris Maxwell's net.

Image source, Getty Images

Kevin Fawell: Big Sam come back! At least we then have a game plan!!!!

Nicky Cassidy: Reckon whoever takes that job, Sunderland are doomed for League One anyway. Free fall.

Ashley Ridler: I'm free some weekends for the next six months and played Championship Manager at an average level. Good enough for the Black Cats?

Nothing to stop you sending in a CV, Ashley. How seriously it'll be taken though, we're not sure, as it looks like Sunderland want someone a bit more experienced...

Following a minute's silence being observed at both grounds ahead of Remembrance Sunday - we're off, where will tonight's first goal come?

Not long to go then until kick-off at St Andrew's and Deepdale in tonight's two games.

Teams are just making their way out of the tunnel. Let's hope for plenty of goals and talking points....

Although rights restrictions prevent us from streaming live audio commentary of today's EFL matches, you are still able to tune in to your local BBC radio station for extensive coverage of your team.

You can click here for the complete list of BBC local radio stations and frequencies.

Image source, Rex Features

Steve Bruce will be looking to break a duck this evening as he takes his Aston Villa side to Deepdale.

He has lost all three of his previous managerial visits there 1-0 - twice with Birmingham City (in March 2002 and May 2007) and Hull City (in December 2015).

In last season's corresponding fixture, a 2-0 victory for Preston proved to be the last game Roberto di Matteo took charge of as Villa boss.

Can PNE continue to prove thorns in Villa's side this evening?

Image source, Getty Images

Two places and two points separate these two going into tonight's clash at Deepdale.

Alex Neil's Preston have surprised a few critics this season but they head into this evening on the back of two defeats and no win in their past four league games.

Villa were twice denied a Second City Derby victory at Birmingham on Sunday by the crossbar and have lost just once in their past 11 leagues game, against current leaders Wolves of all sides.

A victory for either side would lift them into the top six.

Image source, PA

Steve Cotterill is three games into his reign at Birmingham City manager. Blues have won one, drawn one and lost one under their new boss, but have scored just one goal.

Brentford's Dean Smith is approaching the end of his second year in charge of the Bees and, after a slow start this term, they've gone seven league games unbeaten.

Goals haven't been so much of a problem for them recently, having netted three times in each of their past two matches.

Preston North End are without suspended skipper Paul Huntington and bring in Andy Boyle for his first league start of the season.

Alan Browne returns from suspension in midfield and comes in for Callum Robinson.

Aston Villa striker Jonathan Kodjia has failed to shake off an ankle injury from Sunday's derby draw with Birmingham City and is replaced by Keinan Davis in the only change to Steve Bruce's starting line-up.

Preston: Maxwell, Fisher, Boyle, Woods, Earl, Pearson, Johnson, Barkhuizen, Fisher, Maguire, Hugill.

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

Birmingham City are without striker Isaac Vassell, who is likely to be out for several months with a knee injury.

Ex-Brentford duo Maxime Colin and Jota start for Blues, while another former Bee, Harlee Dean, is among the substitutes.

Romaine Sawyers comes in for the visitors in place of Nico Yennaris, who was concussed in Saturday's win at Preston.

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

Brentford: Bentley, Dalsgaard, Egan, Bjelland, Clarke, Mokotjo, Woods, Sawyers, Jozefzoon, Vibe, Watkins.