Aston Villa are currently 18 points behind league leaders Newcastle United.
Steve Bruce has told Aston Villa’s official website that he does not feel that the size of the gap between his side and Newcastle United is healthy.
Villa are currently 18 points behind league leaders Newcastle, and 17 points away from second placed Brighton & Hove Albion.
The claret and blues have improved since Bruce took charge, but they have still struggled to keep pace with the automatic promotion contenders.
And Bruce admits that his side’s aim is now to make it into the play offs, to give them some chance of getting promoted.
“This morning there was just a bit of a gap forming,” Bruce said.
“Newcastle and Brighton were 20-odd points ahead of us. That’s not healthy.
“We’ve got to make impressions on the top six, that’s our aim.”
Villa’s poor start under Roberto Di Matteo has cost them in the race for promotion.
The Midlands side won just one of their first 11 Championship matches, but they have started to move up the table now.
Villa are currently in 13th place in the second tier standings, after beating Queens Park Rangers in their latest outing.
As things stand, Bruce’s men are six points away from the play off places, with their next match coming against Burton Albion on Boxing Day.
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