Match Preview – Aston Villa vs QPR

Aston Villa entertain QPR at Villa Park tomorrow in what is certain to be a tense 90 minutes for all involved.

Harry Redknapp’s men can go to within one point of the villains with a win at Villa Park, following consecutive league victories at Southampton and at home to Sunderland.

The products of Redknapp’s January transfers were prominent in last weekend’s 3-1 win over Sunderland, with both Andros Townsend and Jermaine Jenas on target in a result which left the hoops level on points with second from bottom Reading.

Rangers have injury concerns over a number of first teamers heading into the game.  However, Armand Traore, Adel Taraabt and Julio Cesar are all expected to return in tim to face Villa, with only Tal Ben Haim and Andrew Johnson confirmed to be missing.

Paul Lambert’s Villa themselves go into the game off the back of a positive result, having beaten Reading 2-1 in a ‘relegation 6 pointer’ last weekend.  Villa won the game through goals from Christian Benteke and Gabriel Agbonlahor, although whether or not the Benteke strike was in fact a Stephen Kelly own goal is still open to debate.

Lambert too has injury concerns over several of his squad, with only Darren Bent and Karim El Ahmadi standing a chance of being fit for their second ‘relegation 6 pointer’ in a week.  For the likes of Chris Herd, Richard Dunne, Gary Gardner and Marc Albrighton this game will come just too soon.

This match is set to be a tense affair with no player wishing to make a mistake so close to the end of the season, but this game will offer incredible drama, particularly for the neutral as both clubs fight to survive the Premier League drop.

Aaron Sharp