Aston Villa are unbeaten in three games under Steve Bruce.
Aston Villa full-back Alan Hutton says the increased intensity in training and out on the pitch is the biggest improvement under newly-appointed manager Steve Bruce, The Telegraph reports.
Villa were named as one of the favourites for promotion ahead of the current Championship season, yet under Roberto Di Matteo they started off with just one win from their opening 11 games.
The former Chelsea manager was subsequently sacked and replaced by Bruce, and since then the Villans have taken seven points from a possible nine ahead of the Birmingham derby this weekend.
Speaking to reporters on the eve of Villa’s clash with the Blues, Hutton says the intensity of his side’s play has increased under Bruce and adds that it is an improvement for everybody in the squad.
“So far the intensity of everything we do has gone up. He [Bruce] showed us stats of previous games where we were and what he now expects of us. Intensity levels in training have gone up massively. I think that is an improvement for everybody in the squad,” the former Tottenham Hotspur told The Telegraph.
After picking up a point in the 1-1 draw with fellow Midlands rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers in Bruce’s debut as Villa manager, the Villans have gone on to beat Reading away and then Fulham at home.
Confidence appears to be returning to the squad, while going forward the likes of Jonathan Kodjia and Ross McCormack are starting to become more involved and threatening in front of goal.
Birmingham have performed well this season, yet Villa have the ability to cause them problems and it is seemingly only a matter of time before they really click under Bruce and start to challenge for promotion.
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