da dobrowin： Aston Villa make the trip to St Andrew’s to face arch-rivals Birmingham City on Sunday in the first league meeting between the two clubs since 2011.
da brdice： In fact, it is their first clash in England’s second tier since the 1987/88 campaign following Villa’s relegation from the top-flight last term, and takes on an extra added spice with new boss Steve Bruce returning to the team that he played for for two years, and managed for six between 2001 and 2007.
He won two promotions to the Premier League during that period but is sure to receive a hostile welcome back this weekend, to a side that are only outside of the play-offs on goal difference.
Villa were one of the pre-season favourites to make an instant return to the Premier League, but they struggled to get going under Roberto Di Matteo and the Italian was sacked earlier this month, before being replaced by Bruce.
So here are three reasons why Villa will take the bragging rights against their enemy…
HISTORY SAYS VILLA ALWAYS BEAT BIRMINGHAM
Well, that isn’t strictly true. But they are unbeaten in their last eight league clashes with their great Midlands rivals, winning six and drawing twice.
They also beat the Blues 1-0 at Villa Park in a League Cup clash in September 2015, with Rudy Gestede netting the all important goal for the hosts.
Steve Bruce will be hoping he can continue his honeymoon period with Villa and give them three successive wins for the first time since April 2010 – ironically the third of those was against Birmingham.
THEY HAVE A DECENT RECORD AT ST ANDREW’S
As part of their good record against the Blues, they have also picked up three wins from their last four visits to St Andrew’s, with those successes coming back in 2005, 2007 and 2009, when Villa were challenging at the right end of the Premier League.
They will also be well aware that Gary Rowett’s men are strong on their own patch, and have won four of their last five home matches in the Championship.
THEY ARE BANG IN FORM UNDER BRUCE
Villa supporters will hardly have believed their eyes in recent weeks, with the club recording two successive league wins – something they hadn’t achieved in their previous 29 fixtures.
The triumphs against Reading and Fulham have lifted the Villans up to 17th in the table following a disappotining start to their campaign in the second tier under Roberto Di Matteo.
With Bruce at the helm, and individuals like Jonathan Kodjia in fine form, it appears that the only way is up.