By Brian Sears

28 October 2010

A remarkable sequence of results has unfolded in the 12 Premier League derbies between Aston Villa and Birmingham over the past eight years, a period only denied four further meetings by temporary Blue absences from the top flight.

For the first six of those meetings, Birmingham hardly put a foot wrong, not losing any of the fixtures against their “bigger” rivals, winning four of the six games, and drawing the other two.

Then the tide turned in mid 2005, and since then Villa have won six on the bounce.

And that’s why on Sunday lunchtime, at Villa Park, Gerard Houllier will be leading his men in search of seventh heaven. And Alex McLeish will seek his first taste of derby glory, again.

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The Birmingham derby games in the Premier League

16 Sep 2002    Birmingham  3    Aston Villa  0

03 Mar 2003    Aston Villa  0    Birmingham  2

19 Oct 2003    Birmingham  0    Aston Villa  0

22 Feb 2004    Aston Villa  2    Birmingham  2

12 Dec 2004    Aston Villa  1    Birmingham  2

20 Mar 2005    Birmingham  2    Aston Villa  0

and then the tide turned . . .

16 Oct 2005    Birmingham  0    Aston Villa  1

16 Apr 2006    Aston Villa  3    Birmingham  1

City relegated for one season

11 Nov 2007   Birmingham  1    Aston Villa  2

20 Apr 2008    Aston Villa  5    Birmingham  1

City relegated for one season

13 Sep 2009    Birmingham  0    Aston Villa  1

25 Apr 2010    Aston Villa  1    Birmingham  0

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