Aston Villa v Bristol City preview
Tuesday 28 February 2017 19:45, UK
Aston Villa midfielder Leandro Bacuna will begin his three-match ban against Bristol City.
Bacuna confronted an assistant referee and appeared to make contact with the match official as he contested a decision during Saturday's 1-0 home win over Derby, leading to him being sent off.
Fellow midfielders Conor Hourihane and Mile Jedinak are injury doubts. Hourihane was absent at the weekend with a dead leg while Jedinak played against the Rams in what was only his second appearance after a month out and he may now need some recovery time.
Boss Steve Bruce has one or two other players feeling the effects of a heavy schedule and may make some changes, with the fit-again James Bree perhaps coming in to make his home debut.
Bristol City are again short on strikers as they attempt to pull clear of relegation trouble.
Top scorer Tammy Abraham remains sidelined, with Robins boss Lee Johnson planning to put a call into Chelsea for an update on the loan signing's thigh problem.
Bosnia international Milan Djuric is also likely to be ruled out again with the groin injury he suffered in last week's home defeat to Fulham.
So veteran Aaron Wilbraham stands by for another rare start after scoring in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Newcastle.
Opta stats
Aston Villa have won four of their last five league games against the Robins at Villa Park (L1), although this is the first clash in Birmingham since August 1979.
Bristol City came from behind in the reverse fixture to win 3-1 at Ashton Gate, courtesy of goals from Tammy Abraham, Joe Bryan and Lee Tomlin.
No side has taken fewer points in the Championship than Villa in 2017 (4, level with Rotherham), while opponents Bristol City have won just 13 of the last 66 points available to them.
The Robins have conceded the first goal in 22 league games this season, the most in the division along with Blackburn and Rotherham.
Villa have lost just twice at Villa Park all season in the Championship (W7 D7).
Prutton's prediction
It was a scrappy goal that beat Derby on Saturday, but a scrappy goal was exactly what Aston Villa needed.
You fear for Bristol City a little bit now. They were fantastic for 45 minutes at Newcastle but their squad doesn't have that depth and they couldn't hold on.
It was still a good result at St James' but I think it will be tough at Villa Park too.
Prutton predicts: 2-1 (Sky Bet 15/2)
