Aston Villa 1-0 Birmingham City: Harry Redknapp's first game as Blues boss ends in defeat as Gabby Agbonlahor scores his first goal in 14 months

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Not even Harry Redknapp has the answer to Gabby Agbonlahor in a Second City derby, it transpires. Redknapp's return to management ended in a damaging defeat courtesy of Birmingham's most familiar foe.

Aston Villa were a Premier League team the last time Agbonlahor found the net but the fire for facing his club's fiercest rivals still burns and his first goal in 14 months deepens the grim possibility Birmingham will be in League One next season.

A scrappy match low on quality was ignited by Agbonlahor's introduction in the 59th minute and decided by his finish into the roof of the net nine minutes later. It was the fifth time Agbonlahor has scored against Birmingham and he celebrated with all the passion of a life-long Villa fan. 

Gabby Agbonlahor wheels away in celebration after scoring the winner for Aston Villa

Agbonlahor poked home from a corner to score the only goal of the game for the hosts

New Birmingham boss Harry Redknapp is greeted by Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce

The players and fans paid tribute to Ugo Ehiogu with a minute's applause before the game

Birmingham midfielder David Davis cuts a frustrated figure during the Championship game

When the final whistle blew Villa Park exploded with joy rarely seen in recent seasons, fuelled by schadenfreude at the prospect of nudging their neighbours closer to the trapdoor.

Redknapp was unable to make a telling impact on his first match as a manager in England since January 2015 and now has two crucial games against Huddersfield and Bristol City to save Birmingham's Championship status.

The club are one place above the drop zone, two points ahead of Blackburn Rovers who, as chance would have it, face Villa next before a final day trip to Brentford.

Redknapp left his substitutions oddly late and Alan Hutton's fine clearing header and Greg Stewart's sliced shot wide were the only chances of note late on. The 70-year-old must familiarise himself with his squad quickly over the coming six days.

This was some manner to end a two-year absence from English dugouts for Redknapp, who strode down the touchline alongside Bruce before the game and appeared to revel a little in the vitriol flung his way from the stands.

Upon his media reintroduction this week Redknapp admitted he has been lost without daily football work. He did some coaching for a friend's Under 10s side and had agreed to manage Tony McCoy's charity game. But this was football with meaning, a Second City derby with much at stake. 

A giant picture of the former Villa defender, who died earlier this week, was unfurled

Redknapp waves to the crowd as he heads to the away dugout prior to kick-off at Villa Park

Maikel Kieftenbeld of Birmingham battles for possession with Villa's Leandro Bacuna

Mile Jedinak flies through the air to get his head to the ball in front of Davis

Redknapp gestures from the touchline during the first half of Sunday afternoon's clash

Bacuna and Che Adams battle for possession in midfield during the first half of the game

Jack Grealish is pictured during the goalless first half of the Championship meeting

A minute's applause for Ugo Ehiogu, who served Villa so well for 302 appearances, was observed generously by all at Villa Park and the roar that erupted at the climax was piercing.

Redknapp had picked the brains of Gary Rowett in advance, and the influence of the man who led Birmingham in happier times could be seen with the three changes made from the team that lost to Burton last Monday to trigger Gianfranco Zola's resignation.

Paul Robinson, Jacques Maghoma and Maikel Kieftenbeld came in and Redknapp switched the system from a back three to a back four.

Villa were playing without leading scorer Jonathan Kodjia, suspended for the game, and a sign of his importance to the team was evident in a first half that was bereft of attacking intent, let alone chances.

Kodjia had accounted for 42 per cent of Villa's Championship goals before this game and not once had the side won this season without the Ivory Coast international featuring.

Scott Hogan cut an isolated figure and the only opportunity of substance went the visitor's way in the 38th minute when Lukas Jutkiewicz crossed for Che Adams at the end of a promising break, but the Birmingham forward lashed over.    

A pitch invader is pursued by a steward during the clash at Villa Park on Sunday

Agbonlahor found space in the box to slap home the decisive goal against Birmingham

Agbonlahor last scored on February 6, 2016 in a game against Norwich City

The animosity was consigned to the terraces, with hate figure Craig Gardner handing an object to the linesman after walking over to the Holte End to take a corner. Simon Hooper was able to keep his cards in his pocket for the opening period.

That changed with Agbonlahor's introduction. Bruce sensed the 30-year-old, who has been turning up for training early this week, would give Villa a spark even after not playing since January 21, and it did not take ling for him to do so.

Agbonlahor launched into a ferocious challenge on Adams by the touchline then glared at the Birmingham supporters situated just behind. Moments later he won a dangerous free-kick then squared up to Ryan Shotton for good measure, both players going into the referee's book. 

Despite looking short of fitness, he ran hard and brought the dynamism this match needed. It seemed fateful the ball fell his way from Henri Lansbury's corner that Birmingham ought to have cleared. Agbonlahor swilled in the six-yard box and fired a shot that left Tomasz Kuszczak no chance.

Redknapp's arrival does give Birmingham a chance at least, but his task got a whole lot more difficult.  

The striker was mobbed by his team-mates after breaking the deadlock in the 68th minute