Rifle takes shot at Villa

Birmingham City striker Walter Pandiani says arch-rivals Aston Villa are 'inferior'.

The Uruguayan hit-man - known as The Rifle - claims their Second City rivals are 'inferior' and stated his determination to see Blues take the mantle of being the best side in Birmingham.

The former Deportivo La Coruna hit-man enjoyed last season's 2-0 home win over The Villans and is relishing the prospect of Sunday's match at St Andrews.

"Aston Villa are an inferior team to us and we'll clearly show that this weekend," declared Pandiani.

"Personally, I don't only like to win these games. I like to score goals against Villa - so they can remember well who the best team in the city is.

"Last season, I experienced the 2-0 win and now I would like to experience the taste of victory again.

"At the beginning of this season, both teams have been very even, so it's necessary for us to distinguish ourselves from Villa in respect of our place in the table.

"We need to win to move away from the lower positions of the table, because we have a good enough team to warrant a higher place in the league.

"These types of games are the ones that motivate a footballer the most.

"I remember my experience in Uruguay with Penarol against Nacional - where the victories last for half a season. A derby is more than just three points.

"This season, I am hoping for a better performance from the team but things up front aren't working out too well.

"However, I am sure two consecutive wins will make things better."