It could all have ended so differently. Bristol City are just below us in the table - one point behind, but with a game in hand. It's yet another crucial match for the Villa and to make matters worse we're missing a number of key players.
Tyrone Mings, the lynch-pin of our new found defensive wall of steel, is suspended following a dubious red card on his last outing. Kortney Hause, his fellow centre-half, is injured. Both Jack Grealish and Jonathan Kodjia have succumbed to illness. The side should be thread-bare, but all across the field fresh players step up to the mark.
Axel Tuanzebe and Mile Jedinak perform wonders in defence whilst John McGinn yet again bosses the midfield with another show of prodigious talent and energy. In attack Anwar el Ghazi is a revelation. His twists and turns tie the Bristol City defence in knots. And Tammy Abraham mans up brilliantly to put away a penalty for the first goal of the game despite missing from the spot a few days ago against Rotherham. Another goal from Conor Hourihane a few minutes later and Villa have Bristol City on the ropes.
But for the efforts of Max O'Leary, Bristol's young goalkeeper, Villa could have netted three or four more. He puts in a blinder, saving time and again. Bristol pull one back through an overhead kick from Famara Diedhiou but the Villa defence remains strong. After five minutes of extra time we see out the win, our eighth on the trot.
Happy days at Villa Park!
It's a bitterly cold Saturday afternoon and we're at Villa Park to support the plucky boys in claret and blue as they take on the recently relegated Stoke. A chilling wind swirls ice-cold sheets of rain across the ground. Hardly ideal playing conditions.
Stoke are well organised under the regime of new manager, Gary Rowett. They press hard and high, forcing Villa onto the back-foot much of the time. Half-time provides a welcome opportunity to retreat to the warmth of the stand and a hot cup of tea - the game still locked in a goal-less draw.
That doesn't last long. James McClean dispossesses a floundering Alan Hutton just two minutes into the second half and sends over a cross which is steered into the Villa goal by Joe Allen. It takes an inspired substitution and the introduction of a re-invigorated Jonathan Kodija to bring us to life. He wins a penalty, scored coolly by Tammy Abraham after a long wait.
Our joy is short-lived. At the other end of the pitch the lack-lustre Ahmed Elmohamady concedes a needless penalty, which is duly converted by Benik Afobe. Villa do not give up, however. With just six minutes to go Yannick Bolasie puts in a superb cross which is headed in by Kodija for the equaliser.
Not a great game by any stretch of the imagination, perhaps as a result of the inclement weather, but at least the unbeaten run continues. We just need to convert some of those draws into wins over the Christmas period to move closer to the play-off spots.
And so to the match itself, and what a match it proves to be!
Birmingham have us on the back foot for most of the first half and look by far the most likely to score. It therefore comes as little surprise when Lukas Jutkiewicz heads their opening goal half an hour in.
Things almost go from bad to worse as a shot from Che Adams hits the post with Orjan Nyland left stranded and motionless. It proves to be the trigger that stirs Villa into life. Two fantastic crosses from man of the match, Albert Adomah, are met first by Jonathan Kodjia then by Jack Grealish. The crowd erupts and Villa head in for the break two-one up.
The second half starts in similar style. With just five minutes gone Tammy Abraham is fouled in the box by Michael Morrison. He takes the penalty himself and calmly slots it into the back of the net.
Two goals up and you would have thought it was all plain sailing from here on in. However, Birmingham have different ideas. They've fought with dogged determination and resolute spirit throughout the match and a goal from Kristian Pedersen on the hour mark pulls them back into the game.
Villa are not to be denied, though. Alan Hutton scores a sublime solo goal, taking the ball all the way from ten yards inside his own half to the other end of the pitch before taking aim and firing. The two goal lead is restored and Villa see out the reminder of the game safely to the rapturous applause of the home crowd.
What a derby! All credit to Birmingham who came here looking for a result. They look impressive under manager, Garry Monk, and it won't be long until they bounce back.
