Alan Hutton's superb solo goal sealed Aston Villa's thrilling 4-2 derby win over Birmingham.

The defender held off four challenges during a 60-yard run before curling in to score just his third goal in seven years.

Quickfire strikes from Jonathan Kodjia and Jack Grealish put Villa ahead after Lukas Jutkiewicz opened the scoring for Blues.

Che Adams hit the post with the visitors leading 1-0 before Villa's turnaround and Tammy Abraham's penalty made it 3-1 after the restart.

Kristian Pedersen pulled a goal back but Birmingham remain winless at Villa Park since 2004.

Villa climbed to eighth, now four points adrift of the Sky Bet Championship play-offs, while Blues remain 12th.

Birmingham were solid, having lost just once in their last 13 games, and frustrated Villa before an even game burst into life with three goals in 11 minutes.

The hosts gifted the visitors their first Villa Park goal since April 2008 with two awful pieces of defending after 28 minutes.

First, James Chester presented the ball to Adams and conceded a corner.

Villa then allowed Jutkiewicz to run completely unchecked from the edge of the box to meet Connor Mahoney's cross and volley in through Abraham's legs.

Birmingham smelt blood and a stretching Adams hit the post but within four minutes Villa turned the game around to lead.

Albert Adomah provided both goals as he first crossed for Kodjia to control and smash in from 10 yards after 37 minutes.

Then Grealish raced off the back of the Blues defence to meet Adomah's delicious delivery from point blank range to put the hosts ahead.

The momentum was with Villa and Abraham made it 3-1 from the spot six minutes after the break.

He was dragged down by Michael Morrison as they scrapped for Adomah's cross and the Chelsea loanee picked himself up to send Lee Camp the wrong way for his seventh goal of the season.

Villa went for the kill and Kodjia fired over from 20 yards but the visitors hit back after 57 minutes when Pedersen volleyed in Adams' cross from 10 yards.

Adams fired straight at Orjan Nyland soon after before Villa lost Adomoah to a poor challenge from Wes Harding.

Camp then tipped Conor Hourihane's free-kick wide with Abraham heading the corner over.

But Hutton's stunning goal wrapped up the victory with 14 minutes left when he won the ball inside his own half and held off challenges from Jacques Maghoma and Craig Gardner.

The Scotland international advanced into the area, stepped inside Harlee Dean and curled around Morrison for just his third Villa goal in 186 games.