Source: Team_Talk
TEAMtalk Predicts: Blues v Villa
We've made our predictions for the full season at TEAMtalk Towers but we know you can't wait that long to prove us wrong so we're giving you the chance to do it every weekend.
We'll pick out one of the big Premier League games every weekend and one of our 'experts' will attempt to predict the result and scoreline. But we'll also get a prediction from a fan of each club to find out who knows the most about the beautiful game - TEAMtalk or the fans.
It's one point for a correct result and three if you can nail the right score, and we're keeping a tally so you can all see just now much we (don't) know. Feel free to send in your own predictions too - and of course messages to compliment us on another job well done!
Last Time Out
It was an international weekend last time out which means we didn't get the chance to get our first points on the board after two failed predictions so far.
We didn't see West Ham's win at Wolves coming on the opening day and we really didn't fancy Burnley to turn over Everton the next week, so that leaves us with a big fat zero after two weeks. Thankfully none of our selected fans nailed the predictions either.
Week Four - Birmingham v Aston Villa (Sunday, 12pm)
Birmingham have taken four points from their first four Premier League games but form counts for nothing in derby games and Sunday's St Andrew's encounter promises to be a cracker.
Alex McLeish could hand Christian Benitez his first start after a couple of impressive substitute appearances, and Teemu Tainio will make his debut for the club if he's passed fit.
Richard Dunne and James Collins could both make their Villa debuts in defence, and Stephen Warnock could make it a trio of new faces with Luke Young still not ready to return.
Emile Heskey must shake off a hamstring injury to face his former club.
Match Facts
Villa won the last derby 5-1 two seasons ago and have actually won all of the last four, but Birmingham held the upper hand before that having won four and drawn two of the other Premier League games.
Alex McLeish's side have started reasonably well, taking four points from their first four games, and avoiding defeat on Sunday would represent their best start in the Premier League for four attempts. They have taken four points from their two home games so far and are actually unbeaten in 10 top-flight games on home turf.
Villa, meanwhile, suffered a shock defeat to Wigan on the opening day but they've bounced back with wins over Liverpool and Fulham and could go fifth with a third straight victory.
Predictions
TEAMtalk - Ian Watson: It's never easy to predict a derby result, especially one as hotly contested as the second-city affair, but Villa have won the last four Premier League meetings between the two sides, and I see no reason why they can't make it five on the bounce.
Martin O'Neill has moved to resolve their problems in the centre of defence, and though it might be a baptism of fire for Richard Dunne and James Collins, I think the pair have enough experience to deal with whatever is thrown at them by a Blues side who have scored only one goal from open play so far this campaign.
I am interested to see if Christian Benitez gets a start because he's looked quite lively in his cameo roles so far this season, but it's at the other end of the pitch where the game will be won and lost, and I think Villa have too much in attack for the Blues. 2-0 to the Villa.
Birmingham fan - Mike Richards: Coming back up to the Premier League is exciting enough as it is, but it's these games against Villa that we all look forward to the most.
It's fair to say we haven't done that well in these games recently but we've looked really solid at the back so far and I can only see them scoring once at most in front of what will be a rocking St Andrew's.
We have struggled for goals ourselves to be fair but I've got a feeling Alex McLeish will start with Christian Benitez and I reckon he'll be a big hit this season based on what I've seen so far.
It's going to be lively, a bit nasty and probably very close but I'll stick my neck on the line and go for a 2-1 Blues win with Benitez getting the winner. Come on!
Aston Villa fan - James Ward: There's no doubting this is the game every Villa fan wants to win, forget Manchester Utd, forget Everton and forget Arsenal...the whole season hinges on this very game - the Villa Blues derby!
Having picked up since the disappointing opener the Villans will be going in with plenty of confidence against their most fierce of rivals.
The pitch will be a battlefield with every inch of grass to be fought for and we will go with a 5 man midfield which has seen us turn Liverpool and Fulham over the last two games, I expect a hard fought and ultimately tight game that will hinge on a ref's desicion.
I predict a 3-1 victory for Villa with us taking the lead to be pegged back just before half time, followed by a Steve Sidwell thunderbolt and a Gabby Agbonlahor break away goal in extra time as the Blues get a penalty shout turned down - you heard it here first!
Expect plenty of yellow cards and Reo Coker to have a stormer mopping everything up in midfield, we are flying at the moment and the Blues should be worried. It will be us who get the bragging rights for the next 6 months.
