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Aston Villa vs. Ipswich Town: Expected Starting XI

By Josh Tonti

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - APRIL 13: Joshua Onomah of Aston Villa is challenged by Kalvin Philips during the Sky Bet Championship match between Aston Villa and Leeds United at Villa Park on April 13, 2018 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - APRIL 13: Joshua Onomah of Aston Villa is challenged by Kalvin Philips during the Sky Bet Championship match between Aston Villa and Leeds United at Villa Park on April 13, 2018 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /
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Aston Villa captain John Terry returned to training this week? Will he start against an injury-riddled, Mick McCarthy-less Ipswich Town?

Three league games to go before the conclusion of the EFL Championship season.

Sitting 4th, Aston Villa have an outside chance of automatic promotion. To achieve such, they will most likely need to take all nine points, while hoping 2nd-place Cardiff City do not do the same. Saturday sees the claret and blues travel to Portman Road against Bryan Klug’s Ipswich Town.

“The Tractor Boys” as they are affectionately known, are running a cool -3 goal differential on the season, slightly better than Norwich City’s -8. While that might put them as a tougher opponent on paper, Ipswich are dealing with a rash of injuries. Among those unavailable include, forwards Joe Garner (10 goals) and David McGoldrick (6 goals), captain Luke Chambers, and midfielder Emyr Huws.

For Steve Bruce’s side, it’s a similar story compared to last match. Alan Hutton and Axel Tuanzebe are doubtful as an otherwise healthy squad travels to east England.

Aston Villa Expected XI (4-1-4-1): Johnstone; Elmohamady, Chester, Terry (c), Taylor; Whelan; Snodgrass, Grealish, Onomah, Grabban; Kodjia.

Substitutes: Bunn, Bree, Jedinak, Lansbury, Hourihane, Adomah, Hogan.

It will be difficult to break-up Lewis Grabban and Jonathan Kodjia, considering how they looked against Leeds, even if it causes lineup headaches elsewhere. For Villa, it is all about getting the backline on the same page these final three games. There is an exceptionally high chance of play-off action; therefore, cohesion from the starting four is a must.

Next: Grealish Wanted By Leicester

Whatever the XI, Steve Bruce will have a healthy dose of attacking and defending options to call upon from the bench.

WHEN: Saturday, April 21, 2018 @ 4:00 p.m. GMT

WHERE: Portman Road, Ipswich

PREDICTION: 3-1 Aston Villa (Kodjia 2x, Grealish) (Waghorn)

Give me a good ole’ Kodjia brace as the Ivorian heats up in April.

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