Birmingham City v Aston Villa (Sun)
Blues top scorer Che Adams and leading Villa marksman Tammy Abraham have both hit 21 Championship goals this seasonFollow live text coverage from 11:45 GMT on Sunday
Birmingham City and Aston Villa both have injuries to contend with ahead of their Second City derby at St Andrew's.
Wes Harding is expected to come in for Maxime Colin (hamstring) at right back and Gary Gardner is ineligible to face his parent club under the terms of the midfielder's season-long loan.
Villa are without defender Tommy Elphick, who ruptured a foot tendon in the 4-0 home win over Derby.
But they have midfielder John McGinn available again after suspension.
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Glenn Whelan is the man most likely to make way, while Kortney Hause may move across to partner Tyrone Mings in central defence, which would earn a recall for Neil Taylor at left-back.
Villa have not lost to Blues in the league since Emile Heskey and Julian Gray scored in a 2-0 win at St Andrew's in March 2005.
Garry Monk's Blues start the day ahead of Villa, two points better off - but an away win, to match the 4-2 victory over Blues for Dean Smith's men in November, would mean a leapfrogging of places for the two sides in the Championship table.
Alan Hutton went half the length of the field to score the pick of the Aston Villa goals in his side's 4-2 win over Blues in November
Birmingham City manager Garry Monk told BBC WM:
"Derby games are hard to predict. I've been involved in them as player and a manager and they're all different. Some are frantic, some not so frantic. Some brilliant football, some not.
"We understand we're playing strong opponents. Last season's beaten (play-off) finalists, while we we were having to win to stay up on the final day. But for this game to be so competitive now shows how far we've come.
"The players have been fighting all season to give their best and they won't need asking this Sunday. It's Birmingham City v Aston Villa at St Andrew's and there's nothing bigger than that.
"Attacking-wise, they are the best in the league but that's not for us to worry about. We have our own strengths. We can be a handful for anyone."
Villa head coach Dean Smith told BBC WM:
"They've done well this season, but probably not done so well in the last four games. They've won one, drawn one and lost two.
"Their form's been patchy at St Andrew's and we've got to take advantage of that.
"We've hung in there with all the injuries we've had and we got a really good performance against Derby last week.
"The important thing was to win but it was nice to do in style. It was emphatic a victory as you could get. We looked like we had a bit of a swagger about us."
Match facts
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Birmingham have won just one of their last 15 matches in all competitions against Villa.
Villa are unbeaten in their previous six league visits to St Andrew's. Each of the past three have been draws.
Blues manager Garry Monk has won more matches against Villa during his managerial career (six) than against any other club.
Villa boss Dean Smith has won four of his past five Championship meetings with Birmingham (D1).
Birmingham have kept just one clean sheet in their previous 10 Championship games - a 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest on 2 February.
Villa are looking to win back-to-back Championship games for the first time since November, when they won three in a row in a run that included the 4-2 win over Blues at Villa Park.
Source: bbc.com
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