Bristol City vs Aston Villa. Sky Bet Championship.
Ashton GateAttendance21,542.
Friday 25 August 2017 20:34, UK
Bristol City are set to welcome back several first-team regulars for Aston Villa's Sky Bet Championship trip to Ashton Gate on Friday night, live on Sky Sports Football from 7pm.
City produced a Carabao Cup upset at Watford on Tuesday to knock out their Premier League hosts. But skipper Bailey Wright, Bobby Reid - who scored after coming on as a substitute in that 3-2 win - and Korey Smith are all expected to return.
Matty Taylor is available following groin trouble and on-loan striker Cauley Woodrow will be in the matchday squad after being cup-tied in midweek.
Villa manager Steve Bruce will have midfielder Josh Onomah available as he looks to build on successive league and cup victories against Norwich and Wigan. Bruce is also aware of Villa's poor away from which stretches back to before his time in charge but at least has Onomah fit after he suffered a head injury against Norwich.
Striker Keinan Davis is doubtful because of a hamstring injury, but Bruce is hopeful the teenager will be fit to face the Robins. Experienced midfielder Mile Jedinak has been laid low by a bout of sickness and is expected to miss out.
Bristol City have alternated between victory and defeat in each of their last six league games against Aston Villa, losing last time out in February.
The Villans have won three of their last four meetings with the Robins in all competitions, losing this exact fixture last term.
The Robins have won their last five home league matches on a Friday, including both last season.
Aston Villa have lost 10 of their last 13 away games in the league (W2 D1), including each of the last four.
Conor Hourihane has scored in each of his last two games for Villa (4 goals). He hasn't scored in three successive league games since December 2015 (four consecutive games).
Bristol City have won five of their last seven Championship home games (D1 L1), scoring 15 goals (2.1 goals per game).
Bristol City seem to have plenty of firepower and always look capable of outscoring their opponents, which is an impressive feat considering they lost Tammy Abraham.
Lee Johnson would look up to a manager like Steve Bruce, but Aston Villa have had a bit of a resurgence and I fancy them to carry that on at Ashton Gate on Friday night.
Prutton predicts: 1-3 with Henri Lansbury to score first (145/1 with Sky Bet)