Aston Villa 4 Birmingham City 2: Derby win sends Smith´s side eighth

Aston Villa came from behind to secure a pulsating 4-2 win over neighbours Birmingham City on Sunday and move up to eighth in the Championship.

After a bright start, Birmingham took the lead in the 28th minute when Lukas Jutkiewicz stole in at the back post to steer home Connor Mahoney’s deep corner.

Their joy was short-lived, however, as Villa stormed back with two goals in the space of as many minutes soon afterwards.

Jonathan Kodjia pulled them level with a scuffed finish from 10 yards in the 37th minute before Jack Grealish headed home Albert Adomah’s cross at the back post.

“Some of us are born Villa. Some just fall in love.” #AVFC pic.twitter.com/wB2EjlcW2q

— Aston Villa FC (@AVFCOfficial) November 25, 2018

Tammy Abraham put Villa 3-1 up with a superb penalty after he had been brought down by Michael Morrison six minutes into the second half, but Kristian Pedersen pulled one back for Garry Monk’s side with a cool volley after 57 minutes.

Any hopes of a grandstand finish were extinguished in the 76th minute when Alan Hutton added a fourth, the former Tottenham defender producing a surging run and fine finish to seal all three points for Dean Smith’s side.