Aston Villa moved into the automatic promotion spots on Sunday afternoon, after Steve Bruce’s side secured a well-fought victory over local rivals Birmingham City.

A close first half ended goalless, before strikes from Albert Adomah and Conor Hourihane ensured Bruce’s side stole the bragging rights over their Birmingham-based counterparts.

Derby County’s draw with Norwich City on Saturday afternoon provided the Villains with the perfect opportunity to leapfrog the Rams into the final automatic spot, with Bruce’s side duly obliging on a chilly afternoon in the West Midlands.

The result was a powerful one for the club in many ways, with particular resonance for the manager who had been absent from the club for most of the week following the death of his father.

Figures from across the Villa family celebrated the result, with former striker and cult hero Juan Pablo Angel taking to Twitter to congratulate his former club on the result.

Fans were quick to share their nostalgia over the Colombian forward…