Villa stayed firmly on the goal trail to keep the European dream alive and kicking in a one-sided derby clash.

Goals from Ashley Young (2), John Carew (2) and Gabby Agbonlahor took the recent tally to 15 goals in three outing (that's fifteen!) and left Birmingham City deep in relegation trouble.

Quite simply Villa were too hot to handle for the visitors and MON's men head to Everton next week bidding for fifth spot.

Petrov sent an angled drive wide as he linked up with Barry down the left on two.

Murphy fired over the bar from the edge of the box three minutes later.

Zarate sent a right-foot free-kick straight at the Villa wall on eight.

Carew headed narrowly wide from a Young corner a minute later as the action was typically frantic.

Taylor beat Young to Agbonlahor's left-wing centre on 11.

Laursen flashed a low drive across the face of goal after a quickly taken free-kick from Petrov on 16.

Barry tested Taylor with a brilliantly curled free-kick on 19 - the Birmingham keeper tipped the ball over for a corner.

Taylor punched Young's left-wing free-kick clear on 24 as Villa looked for an opener.

Petrov then sent a low left-foot drive wide from the edge of the box a minute later. The Bulgarian international went closer with a rising effort on 27 that Taylor did well to block.

Villa had the lead on 29 as Young rifled home a right-foot shot from the edge of the box to send the home fans wild.

McSheffrey fired wildly over from the edge of the box a minute later as the visitors looked for a quick response.

Nafti fired over as he bundled his way towards goal from the edge of the box on 35.

Taylor raced off his line to deny Agbonlahor two minutes later as the striker chased Carew's flick.

Barry almost doubled the lead with a curled effort from the left on 38, but Taylor palmed the ball wide.

The Villa skipper then curled a free-kick onto the roof of the net from the right.

Carew's right-foot effort was blocked by Ridgewell on 41 as the striker powered his way into the box.

The big Norwegian doubled Villa's lead a minute later, heading home from close range as he rose to meet Young's free-kick from the left.

Young raced in from the right on 48 but was dispossessed by Taylor.

It was 3-0 on 54 as Barry cut in from the right and crossed for Carew to tap home from close range.

Young had his second and Villa's fourth of the afternoon on 63 and he cut in from the left. His first low shot was saved by Taylor but the England man made no mistake from the follow up.

Forssell reduced the arrears on 67, slotting past Carson from the edge of the box.

Carew raced down the left on 71 but Jaidi slid the ball behind as the striker shaped to shoot.

McFadden curled a left-foot free-kick into the Holte End a minute later.

Agbonlahor grabbed his third in as many matches to make it 5-1 on 78, creating space for himself on the edge of the box and slotting low past Taylor.

Kelly blocked Young's low shot on 83 as Villa chased a sixth goal with a quick break down the right.

Jaidi then slid in to deny Agbonlahor on 88 as Villa cruised towards the final whistle.

VILLA: Carson, Mellberg, Bouma, Laursen, Knight, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Barry, Young, Agbonlahor, Carew. Subs: Taylor, Harewood (for Mellberg 85), Salifou, Routledge, Berger.

Birmingham: Taylor, Kelly, Ridgewell, Jerome, McSheffrey, Nafti, Murphy, McFadden (booked 52), Zarate, Jaidi, Muamba. Subs: Doyle, O'Connor, Forssell (for Zarate 57), Parnaby, Kapo (for Jerome 57).