Aston Villa desperate for three points over Middlesbrough

Time is running out for automatic promotion back to the Premier League. For Steve Bruce, three points at home against contending Middlesbrough will aid in his job’s survival.

Aston Villa lay in beleaguered 18th-place after six league matches. With six points and a negative-two goal differential, time, and patience, are wearing thin at Villa Park.

If Dr. Tony Xia’s Twitter account is anything to go off of, he’s none too please about the club’s current form.

This, after a disappointing scoreless home draw against Brentford:

Luckily for Villa, a mid-week home fixture against a top-six side offers the perfect rebuttal. Garry Monk’s Middlesbrough come to town – looking for three points.

Both sides will have several attacking talents missing on Tuesday. For Boro, ex-Villan Rudy Gestede is out an unspecified amount of time after ankle surgery. Likewise, Denmark international Martin Braithwaite is a doubt as he heals from a hamstring injury.

The draw with Brentford was doubly-bad for Aston Villa. Josh Onomah, Keinan Davis, and Andre Green all exited the match with soft-tissue injuries. Not only is this bad for the club on the pitch, but it reflects poorly with a training staff and regimen. No team should have three muscle injuries in one match. Period.

PROJECTED ASTON VILLA XI (4-3-3): Johnstone; Bree, Chester, Terry, Taylor; Jedinak, Lansbury, Hourihane; Snodgrass, Hogan, Adomah.

SUBSTITUTES: Steer, De Laet, Elphick, Whelan, Elmohamady, Agbonlahor, Bjarnason.

It’s unknown how Villa will line-up exactly on Tuesday, but bet on Robert Snodgrass and Scott Hogan to lead the attack. Albert Adomah should unequivocally be in there too, but for whatever reason Steve Bruce does not rate him.

The back-five remains the save after Sam Johnstone saved the day with a clean sheet. Henri Lansbury enters for Josh Onomah, while Mile Jedinak makes his long-awaited return from off-season groin surgery. The presence of both Lansbury and Hourihane in midfield should offer enough legs to cover for the midfield anchor, Jedinak.

WHEN: Tuesday, September 12, 2017 @2:45PM EST

WHERE: Villa Park, Birmingham.

PREDICTION: 1-1 draw: (Adomah) (Assombalonga).

I so desperately want Villa to put three points on the board against Boro, but a 1-1 draw seems the most likely result – given current forms.