Coventry fell to their second consecutive 2-0 defeat as they failed to halt the slide in their fortunes.

Birmingham’s Brazilian striker Marcelo scored a goal in each half to seal the points as City posted a disappointing display despite welcoming back four senior players.

Lee Carsley and Youssef Safri were both back from suspension to strengthen the midfield while Lee Hughes and Mo Konjic returned from injury.

But the strengthened line-up failed to live up to expectations, rarely tested Ian Bennett in the Birmingham goal and could have no complaints at the outcome of a scruffy encounter.

The Sky Blues had shown a few encouraging signs in the early exchanges of the first half after surviving an early scare when Steve Vickers headed wide in the first minute.

But in the 17th minute they had no answers to a well-worked Birmingham move. Martin Grainger and former Sky Blues favourite David Burrows were involved in the build-up before the muscular Geoff Horsfield delivered a cross for Marcelo to head in.

The Brazilian striker had been given too much space and timed his run perfectly to avoid being caught offside.

While never finding any sort of momentum, Coventry could have pulled level eight minutes later through Hughes. Vickers slipped on the wet surface allowing the City striker to race clear.

He checked to beat another defender before curling in a shot which beat Bennett and seemed destined for the net. But Curtis Fleming spotted the danger and managed to get back to cover on the line and diverted the ball over the bar and out for a corner.

Nilsson brought on Julian Joachim for the injured Jay Bothroyd at half time and the former Villa man did manage one on-target effort early on but is clearly some way from fitness.

The game was put beyond Coventry just after the hour with the same three players combining to pierce the Sky Blue defence. Grainger played the ball through to Horsfield on the byline and the striker managed to turn his marker and deliver a perfect cross to the far post allowing Marcelo to turn the ball in with his head at the far post.

With Coventry proving so ineffective, that put the game beyond them and the rest of the encounter was, to say the least, disappointing.

The Sky Blues take on high-flying Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening and will need to perform with more gusto if they are to stand any chance of reversing their recent run of three defeats.

BIRMINGHAM CITY :
Ian Bennett, Curtis Fleming, Darren Purse (Tresor Luntala, 85), Steve Vickers, David Burrows, Nicky Eaden, Curtis Woodhouse, Martin O`Connor, Martin Grainger, Geoff Horsfield, Marcelo
Subs not used : Nico Vaesen, Graham Hyde, Andrew Johnson, Tommy Mooney

COVENTRY CITY :
Magnus Hedman; Muhamed Konjic, Gary Breen, Marc Edworthy, Marcus Hall, Lee Carsley, Youssef Safri  Laurent Delorge (Lee Fowler, 70), Youssef Chippo, Lee Hughes, Jay Bothroyd (Julian Joachim, 46)
Subs not used : Andy Goram, Tomas Antonelius, Calum Davenport

GOALS :
Birmingham - Marcelo (17, 61)

REFEREE : C Foy (St Helens)

BOOKINGS :
Birmingham - Fleming (44, foul), Grainger (44, foul), Burrows (64, dissent), Horsfield (85, foul)
Coventry - Breen (42, foul)

ATTENDANCE : 18, 279

COVENTRY LEAGUE POSITION : 9th with 31 points