Confirmed Aston Villa v Queens Park Rangers lineups: Hourihane and Hogan drop to the bench for Villans as R’s make five changes

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Aston Villa can breach the Championship’s top 10 with a win against Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday.

General view of Villa Park

In-form Aston Villa can enter the Championship’s top 10 for the first time this calendar year if they beat Queens Park Rangers at Villa Park this evening.

The Villans have won six of their last seven league matches, with top scorer Jonathan Kodjia scoring six goals in that time.

Nevertheless, Steve Bruce makes two changes from Saturday’s win against Norwich City, with Leandro Bacuna and Jordan Amavi replacing January recruits Conor Hourihane and Scott Hogan.

England Under-21 midfielder Jack Grealish returns to Villa’s 18 for the first time in a month, but only makes the bench.

Friday’s narrow defeat to Derby County may have dented QPR’s hopes of a top-half finish, however, Ian Holloway’s side can put themselves back in contention with a win – potentially overtaking both Cardiff City and Barnsley into 13th.

And the R’s make five changes to their side, with Massimo Luongo, Sean Goss, Jamie Mackie, Yeni Ngbakoto and Idrissa Sylla all coming in.

Aston Villa: Johnstone; Hutton, Chester, Baker, Taylor; Lansbury, Jedinak, Bacuna, Adomah, Amavi; Kodjia.

Subs: Bunn, Elphick, Hogan, Hourihane, Bree, Green, Grealish.

Queens Park Rangers: Smithies; Furlong, Onuoha, Hall, Bidwell; Mackie, Ngbakoto, Goss, Luongo, Freeman; Sylla.

Subs: Ingram, Washington, Wszolek, Smith, Perch, Petrasso, Manning.