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Aston Villa vs. Preston North End: Predicted lineup – October 2nd

By Josh Tonti

BRISTOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 28: Tammy Abraham of Aston Villa appeals to the referee after tussling with Nathan Baker of Bristol City during the Sky Bet Championship match between Bristol City and Aston Villa at Ashton Gate on September 28, 2018 in Bristol, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
BRISTOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 28: Tammy Abraham of Aston Villa appeals to the referee after tussling with Nathan Baker of Bristol City during the Sky Bet Championship match between Bristol City and Aston Villa at Ashton Gate on September 28, 2018 in Bristol, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) /
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Chelsea loanee Tammy Abraham will be unavailable to Steve Bruce after injury in Friday’s 1-1 draw with Bristol City. It’s being reported Bruce has two matches to save his job.

Aston Villa host 24th-place Preston North End at Villa Park on Tuesday. Pause if you’ve heard this before, but this should be an easy three points. This match comes on the heels of a Telegraph report stating that Villa manager Steve Bruce has two games to save his job. 

Frankly, it’s not surprising.

Bruce likely needs six points (or 4 points and two good showings) from this upcoming game and the weekend’s match away to Millwall, who conveniently sit second-bottom in the table. Even then, there’s an argument to be made that defeating the Championship’s bottom two clubs doesn’t really tell us anything, but I concede my point.

Tough luck for Preston: Josh Harrop is out for the season, per BBC. Calum Woods and Michael Crowe could be available, however. Only QPR’s -11 goal differential is worse than Preston’s under Alex Neil, currently -10. Former Villans Daniel Johnson and Callum Robinson have an impressive 2 and 3 goals respectively in the early going. Central midfielder Alan Browne holds the team lead alongside Robinson with 3 goals as well.

Aston Villa Predicted XI (4-1-4-1): Nyland; Elmohamady, Chester (c), Jedinak, Hutton; Whelan; Bolasie, Grealish, McGinn, El Ghazi, Kodjia.

Substitutes: Moreira, Tuanzebe, Bree, Bjarnason, Hourihane, Adomah, Hepburn-Murphy.

The Mile-Jedinak-at-centre-back-not-defensive-midfield master plan continues. Glenn Whelan hasn’t received a run out in a while and Bruce will surely be wanting a mistake-free backline. Whelan could help that happen.

Rushian Hepburn-Murphy replaces Tammy Abraham’s place in the squad, but Henri Lansbury could be an option as well.

This is a prime opportunity for Bruce to introduce Yannick Bolasie and Anwar El Ghazi into the starting lineup, at the same time. While we’re at it, move Jack back to midfield as well.

WHEN: Saturday, 2 October, 2018 @ 7:45 p.m. GMT / 2:45 p.m. EST

WHERE: Villa Park

PREDICTION: 3-1 Aston Villa victory (Kodjia, El Ghazi, Grealish).

Genuinely don’t have a clue how this one will end up. Villa should win though.

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