It is goalless at the break between Aston Villa and Birmingham City in their League Cup third round derby clash at Villa Park.

© Getty Images

The hosts were first to threaten as Rudy Gestede found himself in space outside the box, but his effort was harmlessly scuffed wide.

Birmingham then enjoyed a dangerous spell through Demarai Gray, who lashed a cross just over the bar, before Jacques Maghoma marauded into the penalty area and fired just wide with Brad Guzan beaten.

The game continued to be played at a high tempo, with a goalmouth scramble in the 10th minute nearly paving the way for Gestede to poke home, but Tomasz Kuscszak got down well to smother the ball.

Things soon settled down on the pitch as play slowed down somewhat, though Micah Richards was able to try his luck with a header from a corner midway through the first half, which went harmlessly wide in the end.

Both sides were fairly even on the pitch and weighed in with respective forays into the opposition's final third, but neither could force the issue and so had to settle with going in goalless at the break.