David Prutton predicts Birmingham vs Aston Villa result

Follow us on Google Discover

Birmingham City host Aston Villa at St Andrew’s in a crucial Championship clash.

David Prutton has told Sky Sports that he is expecting Birmingham City and Aston Villa to play out a high-scoring draw when the two meet in the first Second City derby clash of the season.

The game pits two teams at opposite ends of the Championship table against each other. Birmingham are currently one place and one point above the bottom three in the second tier, but have shown some more positive signs in recent weeks after an extremely slow start to the campaign.

Steve Cotterill’s men have won two of their last four, including a 1-0 win over high-flyers Cardiff in his first game in charge of the Blues. But they will need to be at their best if they hope to get the better of a Villa side who have been extremely impressive lately.

Steve Bruce’s side have won five of their last six league games, and currently sit fifth in the table. The Villans also made a fairly lacklustre start, but have shown why they were the favourites to go up for many people before the season began with their recent form.

Villa have not lost in the derby since 2010 when a late Nikola Zigic goal gave Birmingham a 2-1 win at St Andrew’s. And Prutton has suggested that he is expecting the Villans’ unbeaten run against their bitter rivals to continue after Sunday.

“If you can’t get yourself up for a game like this then what can you get yourself up for? The Second City derby returns and it should be a fabulous occasion as St Andrew’s. Steve Cotterill was riding high after winning his first game in charge against Cardiff, but Birmingham came down with a bit of a bump at Millwall last week and he’ll want a reaction here,” he told Sky Sports while explaining why he is expecting a 2-2 draw.

“Aston Villa, meanwhile, are in the play-offs and they’ll want to continue to close in on the top two, but I feel like this will be a draw. Albeit an entertaining one.”