Birmingham 2 Sunderland 0

Birmingham nudged closer to Premier League safety and heightened the worries of Steve Bruce's Sunderland.

A goal in each half from the unsettled Sebastian Larsson and Craig Gardner saw off former Blues boss Bruce and his struggling side, who have lost eight of their last nine games.

It was midfielder Larsson's strike that gave the home side the advantage four minutes before the break.

The Swede - who is leaving the club at the end of his contract this summer, according to his agent - got between confused goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and defender Phil Bardsley to break the deadlock.

And the game was settled by a ninth goal of the season from Gardner in the 66th minute.

The former Villa midfielder took a pass from substitute Alexander Hleb and went for goal 20 yards out, with Mignolet getting a hand to his shot but failing to keep it out.