Birmingham City manager Gary Rowett has insisted that his side will look to use their underdog status to their advantage when they take on rivals Aston Villa in the League Cup.

The two sides meet at Villa Park this evening in the third round of the competition, in what will be the first Second City derby for four years.

Rowett has suggested that he and his players are used to being written off.

"I think we've been underdogs since the minute we walked in," Rowett told Birmingham's official website.

"When you're second from bottom of the league and you've won one game in 26 at home you are the underdogs wherever you go. In fact you are the underdogs at home which was unusual.

"We are the underdogs everywhere, which we've used to our advantage. We've used that siege mentality about the way we play."

Birmingham currently sit seventh in the Championship.