Referee David Webb blows the whistle and we are up and running.

Hosts Birmingham are the ones to get things going.

Birmingham City turning it up at St Andrew's with a light show!

They have really thrown themselves into this Monday night football thing.

We are just a few minutes from kick-off now.

BBC local radio

You can stay in touch with all the developments at St Andrew's tonight by staying with us right here.

And while online restrictions means we can't bring you the excellent radio coverage from BBC Radio WM or BBC Radio Leicester, it doesn't mean you can't listen in.

If you are in the local radio frequency area of either one of those stations, then tune in and get your ears on the action.

Ged Scott
BBC Sport at St Andrew's

Image source, Getty Images

As has been increasingly the case this season since the refurbished St Andrew's opened its doors to more and more paying punters, it seemed like all roads led to this stadium tonight.

The traffic gets harder and harder to get through, seemingly with every home game.

Even the Leicester City coach was only two ahead of me in the queue.

But everyone who ought to be here now seems to be here. And Wagathas or no Wagathas, this all the makings of an evening of thrilling suspense.

Leicester were given a good game on their last trip to this side of the Midlands at Albion a few weeks ago. Blues are still finding their feet under Wayne Rooney. But there have been increasingly positive signs in recent weeks - and this might not be the foregone conclusion people might think.

Image source, Rex Features

Ipswich Town's draw in their derby with Norwich on Saturday means Leicester can once again open a gap at the top of the table.

As it stands, they are top and equal on points with the Tractor Boys.

Enzo Maresca's side are chasing a fourth straight win tonight.

Oh, and their form on the road this season has been magnificent. They have lost only once away from home and picked up 25 points from a possible 30 on their travels so far.

Image source, PA Media

Birmingham City are back at home after registering their first win away from home under Wayne Rooney.

But, that is hardly enough to make up for just how dismal things have been for Birmingham City since the former England striker took charge.

From his first 10 games in charge, Birmingham have picked up eight points from a possible 30. That's a run that includes six defeats and just two wins.

Blues were sixth when Rooney took charge in October, and tonight they are 17th in the table.

If they shock Leicester, then they can claw themselves up to mid-table.

Image source, Getty Images

Birmingham City boss Wayne Rooney sticks with the side that beat Cardiff City last time out.

Oliver Burke, however, does make the bench for the hosts after recovering from a hamstring injury

Birmingham City: Ruddy, Aiwu, Roberts, Sanderson, Buchanan, Sunjic, Bielik, Dembele, James, Bacuna, Stansfield.

Substitutes: Etheridge, Hogan, Jutkiewicz, Miyoshi, Gardner, Longelo, Oakley, Burke, Donovan.

There is just the one change for league leaders Leicester City, with once-capped England defender James Justin coming in for Conor Coady.

Nigeria striker Kelechi Iheanacho is back in the squad and takes his place on the bench.

Leicester City: Hermansen, Pereira, Faes, Vestergaard, Justin, Winks, Ndidi, Dewsbury-Hall, Fatawu, Daka, Mavididi.

Substitutes: Ward, Coady, Casadei, Iheanacho, Souttar, Choudhury, Cannon, Stolarczyk, Nelson.

Image source, Rex Features

Well, one person that has done his best to play things down before this meeting is Birmingham boss Rooney himself.

Last week he said it is important that game does not get "dragged into a sideshow".

"It's Birmingham City v Leicester City," Rooney told BBC Sport.

Without Vardy on the pitch tonight, it fair to say the hullabaloo has eased off.

You can read more from Rooney, who spoke before Vardy was ruled out of the match, by clicking here.

Derby rivalries are usually forged by locality, history and heritage.

It's that date on the calendar that fans go looking for as soon as fixtures are released.

Then, occasionally, you get something random like the 'Wagatha Christie derby' - a fixture circled by some as soon as Wayne Rooney took charge of Birmingham City.

Why? Well, a long story short - and this is glossing over a ton of social media sleuthing, a whole high-profile court case, a dramatised TV series and even a tell-all documentary - there was a falling out between the wives of Rooney and Leicester striker Jamie Vardy.

Things were written and said, and legal action taken - which saw Coleen Rooney come out the victor.

That, of course, led to the next meeting of ex-England team-mates Rooney and Vardy getting the microscope treatment.

And that is where we are today...

Apart from the fact that Vardy has been ruled out for Leicester, therefore negating the whole 'Wagatha Christie derby'!

Image source, Getty Images

Hello and welcome to Monday night festive football from the Championship!

Tonight we have leaders Leicester City travelling to St Andrew's where they take on a stuttering Birmingham City side.

Victory for the Foxes against Wayne Rooney's Blues will see them go three points clear at the summit.