Alex McLeish asked Mauro Zárate to explain his behaviour after the Birmingham City forward kicked out at the advertising hoardings on being substituted during yesterday’s 5-1 defeat by Aston Villa.

The Birmingham manager, who admitted that this was the most humiliating defeat he could recall in a derby, still believes that his team can show sufficient resilience to climb out of the relegation zone. But he wants to ensure that everyone stays together as they face Liverpool, on Saturday, and Blackburn Rovers at home, either side of a trip to Fulham.

“He did kick the hoardings, I can confirm that,” McLeish said. “I spoke to him after the match and made it clear . . . that we need everybody to show the spirit required. He assured me he was very disappointed and frustrated with his own performance.”

Villa can overtake Everton in the contest for fifth place if they win at Goodison Park on Sunday, but Birmingham, who dipped into the bottom three when Bolton Wanderers beat Middlesbrough on Saturday, have “a very different agenda”, McLeish said. “What has been evident in this team is that we have bounced back from defeat before. We can do it again, because the proof is there.”

A 26-year-old man, believed to be a football fan, died after being hit by a car after yesterday’s derby. Police arrested a 20-year-old man on suspicion of murder. The collision happened at about 3pm close to Villa Park.