Preston North End host Aston Villa in the Championship on Saturday
Sky Sports pundit Ian Holloway is going against his friend Simon Grayson and tipping Aston Villa to beat Preston North End on Saturday.
Grayson’s Preston host the Villans, who have not won away from home since August 2015.
According to reports this week, his opposite number Roberto Di Matteo could be out of a job if Villa fail to pick up their second win of the season at Deepdale.
And Holloway believes victory number two will arrive this weekend, provided Villa set up to attack the Lilywhites.
“Preston is a difficult place to go but Aston Villa are starting to build some momentum,” wrote the Sky Sports pundit in his weekly predictions column.
“I’m going against my mate Simon Grayson, but Villa showed signs last weekend against Newcastle. They had to fight to get the equaliser, which they did, and I felt they were the better team against a very good side.
“They need to get their balance right, though, and figure out what kind of team they want to be. Are they a defensive or attacking side?
“With the players they have got, I think they should be attacking and if they set up to go at Preston, they can win.
“0-2.”
Villa have not won for exactly seven weeks this Saturday, and let slip a one-goal lead once again at Barnsley in midweek.
Depending on results elsewhere, either side could climb to within touching distance of the top half with a victory.
Preston, whose manager played for Villa in the late 1990s, lost their opening three games without scoring, but have picked up three wins and a draw since then to lift them up to 19th place, two behind their opponents.
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