Birmingham spoiled their former manager Steve Bruce’s return to St Andrew’s with a win over his Sunderland team.

Blues, with Carson Yeung taking in his first game as the club’s new owner, broke the deadlock when defender Liam Ridgewell chested in Sebastian Larsson’s free-kick in the 37th minute.

Bruce looked on as his side’s job became an uphill battle just three minutes after the break, James McFadden finishing a deceiving back-heel from Cameron Jerome for his second of the season.

But Bruce’s men did at least set up a tense finale by pulling a goal back with eight minutes to go, after Scott Dann helped in Michael Turner’s header for an own goal, but the three points went Blues’ way.