Bruce’s men remain in sixth place after the derby draw with Birmingham

Aston Villa remain sixth in the Championship table after a 0-0 derby with Birmingham City at St Andrew’s on Sunday.

Jota missed a clear chance for the home side as Keinan Davis rattled the underside of the crossbar, but in the end there was nothing to choose between the West Midlands foes as Steve Bruce’s side made a club record in 11 consecutive games against their cross-town rivals. without defeat.

There was little between the teams in an uneventful first half, but Birmingham should have taken the lead just three minutes after the break, Jota intercepting Conor Hourihane’s pass and running clear into the penalty area, only to fire a shot over the bar .

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The best remaining chances fell to Villa though, with Jonathan Kodjia’s header forcing an athletic save from Tomasz Kuszczak before Mile Jedinak headed home another chance.

Birmingham had them to thank for keeping their point in the closing stages. Davis curled a shot off the underside of the bar and out after Kuszczak saved at the feet of Alan Hutton, before Kodija cut in from the left and clipped the frame of the goal with a low shot.

In the end, however, there was no breakthrough, meaning Villa remain sixth in the table, although they are now level on 23 points with fifth-placed Leeds United. Birmingham are just two points above the bottom three.