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Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce is not about to give up on their chances of taking an automatic promotion place.
Tonight’s visitors to the Macron have a seven-point gap to make up on the top two, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Cardiff City.
But, at the age of 57, the vastly-experienced Bruce knows there are far too many points still available for him, or anyone else, to write off their chances.
A point behind Villa this morning, Fulham could overtake them before the evening kick-off in Bolton but Bruce predicts countless ebbs and flows before the campaign’s final whistle blows in May.
“In my experience there will be plenty of twists and turns leading up to the last week, I wouldn’t be surprised,” said Bruce, whose side lost 3-1 to mid-table QPR last time out.
“There’s a stupid international break after Saturday and then a load of games are crammed together in April. It’s always nice to go and get a victory before you say bye bye to 15 of them. We’ve got 15 of them going away – or something like that – which is ridiculous at this time of year but we have to deal with it.
“You’ve got a two-week break then you cram eight games into four weeks in April at the business end of the season – it’s something we could do without.
“There’s going to be lots of twists and turns before it’s all over.”
Bruce’s side came out on top 1-0 when the two sides locked horns in September.
At the time, Wanderers were rock bottom and heavily tipped to go down, but their defeat at Villa Park sparked a revival in Phil Parkinson’s men.
Now, although they go into the game as favourites, the Villa boss predicts another tough assignment against a Whites team that could have their gap to the relegation zone cut to three points during the course of this afternoon’s games.
“They’ve turned it around,” he said at yesterday’s press conference.
“Wherever you go, in my experience in the Championship, it’s going to be difficult and I expect Bolton to be difficult.
“They’re fighting for their lives for other reasons.
“They’ve got a sprinkling of really good experience in their team and I’m expecting a tough game. They got a good result at Sheffield [Wednesday] last week so it’s all to play for.”
Bruce does have selection issues, with senior left-backs Neil Taylor and former Wanderers loanee Alan Hutton both out through injury, meaning only a second start in the Championship, and a first since September, seems likely for 20-year-old James Bree.
Not that the manager has any qualms about turning to the youngster.
“Tayls is a problem, so is Alan Hutton and Axel Tuanzebe,” he said. “It seems to be the theme – we get injuries in the same department.
“We’ll get on with it, though. James Bree has been chomping at the bit and it’s his chance.
“He’s been waiting patiently and has trained well so he’ll be in at left-back.”
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Tonight’s visitors to the Macron have a seven-point gap to make up on the top two, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Cardiff City.
But, at the age of 57, the vastly-experienced Bruce knows there are far too many points still available for him, or anyone else, to write off their chances.
A point behind Villa this morning, Fulham could overtake them before the evening kick-off in Bolton but Bruce predicts countless ebbs and flows before the campaign’s final whistle blows in May.
“In my experience there will be plenty of twists and turns leading up to the last week, I wouldn’t be surprised,” said Bruce, whose side lost 3-1 to mid-table QPR last time out.
“There’s a stupid international break after Saturday and then a load of games are crammed together in April. It’s always nice to go and get a victory before you say bye bye to 15 of them. We’ve got 15 of them going away – or something like that – which is ridiculous at this time of year but we have to deal with it.
“You’ve got a two-week break then you cram eight games into four weeks in April at the business end of the season – it’s something we could do without.
“There’s going to be lots of twists and turns before it’s all over.”
Bruce’s side came out on top 1-0 when the two sides locked horns in September.
At the time, Wanderers were rock bottom and heavily tipped to go down, but their defeat at Villa Park sparked a revival in Phil Parkinson’s men.
Now, although they go into the game as favourites, the Villa boss predicts another tough assignment against a Whites team that could have their gap to the relegation zone cut to three points during the course of this afternoon’s games.
“They’ve turned it around,” he said at yesterday’s press conference.
“Wherever you go, in my experience in the Championship, it’s going to be difficult and I expect Bolton to be difficult.
“They’re fighting for their lives for other reasons.
“They’ve got a sprinkling of really good experience in their team and I’m expecting a tough game. They got a good result at Sheffield [Wednesday] last week so it’s all to play for.”
Bruce does have selection issues, with senior left-backs Neil Taylor and former Wanderers loanee Alan Hutton both out through injury, meaning only a second start in the Championship, and a first since September, seems likely for 20-year-old James Bree.
Not that the manager has any qualms about turning to the youngster.
“Tayls is a problem, so is Alan Hutton and Axel Tuanzebe,” he said. “It seems to be the theme – we get injuries in the same department.
“We’ll get on with it, though. James Bree has been chomping at the bit and it’s his chance.
“He’s been waiting patiently and has trained well so he’ll be in at left-back.”
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