STEVE BRUCE last night warned old pal Roy Keane that his Birmingham side will hunt down Championship leaders Sunderland.
Brum boss Bruce was buzzing after his side hung on for victory at struggling Leicester to climb into second spot at Derby's expense - just two points behind Keane's Black Cats with three games left. And Bruce, who played alongside Keane at Manchester United, is eyeing top spot after Radhi Jaidi and Sebastian Larsson scored early first-half goals to put City in command at the Walkers Stadium.
Leicester's on-loan West Ham star Shaun Newton scored a free-kick to pull a goal back eight minutes from time for Nigel Worthington's team, who staged a spirited fight-back after the break.
But the 19th-placed Foxes remain two points off the drop zone after a 10th match without a win and their second reverse on the spin under their caretaker boss.
Bruce said: "We were hanging on a bit at end but we got the win which was all that mattered. Now Sunderland are the team to try to catch if we can. Roy has done a fantastic job there which is no surprise."
Birmingham deservedly grabbed the lead in the 16th minute when Jaidi took advantage of indecisive keeping by Foxes No.1 Conrad Logan to head in Gary McSheffrey's corner at the far post. And Brum swiftly doubled their lead three minutes later as Stephen Clemence freed Andy Cole whose unselfish square pass handed Larsson a simple finish for his eighth goal of the season.
Leicester were reeling but their second-half pressure was finally rewarded when Newton scored from a rightfoot free-kick after sub Geoff Horsfield was fouled.