Garry Thompson
Ex-Aston Villa striker on BBC WM 95.6

There was little danger but Hourihane chested the ball down and half-volleyed it over the keeper.

That's a fabulous goal to score in a local derby. Villa can now relax as you can't see Birmingham coming back from 2-0 down.

Blues bring on forward Che Adams for midfielder David Davis, with eight minutes plus stoppage time remaining.

Blues' Carl Jenkinson - already on a yellow card - goes in to the back of Albert Adomah as they both challenge for a header, but it's just a free-kick and a talking-to from the referee for the right-back.

Adomah is OK to carry on.

Villa's first change sees on-loan striker Lewis Grabban come on for his debut.

Scott Hogan goes off, to warm applause from the home fans.

A left-wing Robert Sondgrass free-kick is headed over the bar by Villa's James Chester.

Off goes winger Jacques Maghoma for Birmingham. On comes Jota, in a like-for-like swap.

The Spaniard blazed a sitter over the bar when these two sides met in October.

Villa clear a Birmingham corner. Then another Blues attack breaks down as Maxime Colin catches Alan Hutton.

Here comes the Blues change...

Ged Scott
BBC Sport at Villa Park

Image source, Rex Features

The noise level suddenly seems to have been upped by several decibel levels inside Villa Park.

"The city is ours" is the chant from the Holte End, complete with a derogatory reference to the men from Small Heath.

Now Villa have finally found a way through, Blues are looking shaky. And you would not back against more goals.

With a quarter of an hour to go, can Birmingham get back in to this game?

The Spaniard Jota is preparing to come on, their record signing.

Nothing comes of the Villa free-kick but, moments later, Carl Jenkinson's header clears a dangerous-looking Ahmed Elmohamady cross.

Garry Thompson
Ex-Aston Villa striker on BBC WM 95.6

For years we've heard that Jack Grealish has had ability and we've only seen it in flashes.

But since he came back from the injury he had in pre-season he has got better and better and better.

David Davis fouls Jack Grealish near the halfway line and Villa have a free-kick.

Image source, PA

As it stands, while Albert Adomah is the man with the key goal, Jack Grealish has been the best player on the park by a mile.

Steve Bruce is somehow managing to get the very best out of the previously-troubled playmaker.

Scott Hogan looks to skip in behind the Blues defence but Harlee Dean makes an important, late intervention.

But Villa are all over Blues at the moment.

Darren Carter
Ex-Birmingham City midfielder on BBC WM

This is a critical stage for Blues. They're facing wave after wave of Villa attack and if they go 2-0 down then this game could run away from them.

From the corner, John Terry's effort is blocked, before Robert Snodgrass fires well over the bar.

Villa win a corner as Conor Hourihane's low shot is touched wide by David Stockdale.

It's all Villa now. Scott Hogan runs at goal this time, but Blues' Harlee Dean defends the situation very well and shepherds it out for a goal kick.

Albert Adomah skips away down the Villa left and sends over a decent cross to the near post, towards Scott Hogan, but Blues keeper David Stockdale gathers it.