A Birmingham baptism of fire

Richard Dunne will play in his third different major English derby game today when he makes his debut for Aston Villa at Birmingham City. St Andrews will no doubt provide an intimidating atmosphere but the hostility does not worry Dunne. Having experienced the cauldrons of Anfield and Old Trafford when playing on Merseyside and Manchester, he knows what to expect and what the result means to both players and supporters.

"It's about local pride and nobody likes to turn up at work unhappy after losing a derby," he said. That includes Dunne, who cannot think of a better occasion in which to make a good first impression with his new club. He has a point to prove following his departure from Manchester City after nine seasons. Dunne, who was the captain, feels he was forced out when Kolo Toure and Joleon Lescott arrived in big-money deals. City deny that and the combative Irish defender is now eager to help Villa challenge for a top-four place.

Dunne, though, will be in the unfamiliar position of playing for the derby favourites today: "When I was at Everton, it was Liverpool who were top of the league and then at City, it was Manchester United. I've not been playing for the favourites, but still always tended to get decent results in a derby. I've never been around a Birmingham one, but I believe it's been quite fiery over the last few seasons. If you want to make your debut the best place to make it is in a derby.

"You get to show your own fans what you can do. I've always enjoyed derbies at Everton and Manchester City and am looking forward to being successful in the ones here. As players, we are always willing to do everything we can to win derbies." Dunne could be joined in a new-look Villa defence by Stephen Warnock, the £8million (Dh49m) signing from Blackburn, and James Collins, whose last game for West Ham was the Carling Cup derby win over Millwall. But despite the new faces, there will be no shortage of people with derby-day experience today.

Both managers, Alex McLeish and Martin O'Neill, had a similar rivalry up in Scotland when they were in charge of Glasgow Rangers and Celtic respectively. O'Neill came out on top in those encounters, but McLeish is hoping Birmingham can shine as the underdogs. Following their relegation in 2008, which included a 5-1 defeat to Villa, they have had to wait two seasons to exact revenge for the humbling at Villa Park. That loss - their worst in the league to Villa since 1960 - was Villa's fourth in succession against them.

McLeish believes his team are better now with lessons learned. "I've had many disappointing experiences in the past, but you've got to move on," he said. "I have found this derby to be just as intense as the Old Firm games [between Celtic and Rangers]. It doesn't matter what else happens as long as we win. We feel pretty strong at home and the power [of the fans] will definitely be a big plus for us. I'm confident we can compete with anybody."

[e-mail] Birmingham v Aston Villa, KO 3pm, Showsports 1 & 2