Steve Bruce returns to Birmingham City as Aston Villa manager on Sunday.
Ian Holloway has told Sky Sports that he expects Aston Villa and Birmingham City to play out a 2-2 draw in Sunday’s Second City derby.
St Andrew’s plays host this weekend as Steve Bruce returns to his old stomping ground as Aston Villa manager.
The 55-year-old can expect a frosty reception from his old fans, having spent six years as Blues manager, but he will be determined to maintain the Villans’ fine form.
Bruce, who replaced Roberto Di Matteo earlier this month, has done a fine job so far, picking up seven points from a possible nine in a run of form which has left the West Midlands side only six points adrift of the playoff places.
Di Matteo had managed to win only one of Aston Villa’s 11 Championship games, despite a summer outlay of some £50 million, and Holloway admits he is clueless as to why the Italian struggled so badly to pick up victories.
Villa are certainly in form, but the former QPR and Crystal Palace manager believes Gary Rowett’s side – who sit outside the top six on goal difference – will bring their rivals’ two-match winning run to an end by earning a draw this weekend.
“I wish I was going to this one with Steve Bruce going back to his old stomping ground. I think it will be too tight to call but it will be a really exciting game with goals,” he told Sky Sports.
“Bruce’s start has been brilliant. It is exactly what they needed. I don’t know why the players didn’t respond to Roberto Di Matteo but it just proves that Bruce and Neil Warnock know what they’re doing. Some of us managers are pretty good!”
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