Aston Villa boss Bruce still targeting automatic promotion

Posted Wednesday, April 04, 2018 by PA

Steve Bruce thinks Aston Villa are still in the hunt for automatic promotion after an easy 3-0 home win over struggling Reading.

Villa outplayed Reading for almost the entire game and the Royals, who were reduced to 10 men for the last hour, succumbed to second-half goals from Birkir Bjarnason, Conor Hourihane and Scott Hogan.

Bruce, an old hand at the Championship play-offs, said: “There are going to a few twists and turns.

“Obviously Fulham are there or thereabouts. The way they are performing at the moment, and to have the run they have had, is remarkable.

“There are seven games to go and there is a chance we can win promotion and we remember we take on second placed Cardiff at home next week.

“After a difficult couple of weeks there was a freshness about the team and I was very pleased with the performance against Reading,”

Following a goalless first half when Villa were thwarted by the heroics of goalkeeper Vito Mannone, the Midlands club finally cashed in on their superiority in the second period when they should have recorded an even more conclusive win over a poor, struggling Reading side.

Bjarnason finally forced Reading to surrender in the 46th minute and this goal was followed by efforts from Hourihane and Hogan.

Hourihane’s 62nd minute goal was something of a milestone as he became the first Villa midfield player to reach double figures in season since it was last recorded by David Platt in 1991.

Bruce said: “He has more goals and assists in the Championship than any other player. For £1million from Barnsley this is terrific. Well done to him.”

Bruce was pleased with the result against Reading and added: “It was a frustrating first half when we had 74 per cent possession and it was a case of when we scored.

“It took a wonder goal from Bjarnason – a really great goal – who had his best game for Villa.

He was excellent and I am pleased for him because he has had to adapt.”

Reading boss Paul Clement knows the Royals have as big fight on their hands following this heavy reverse, after they played with only 10 men for the last hour because David Edwards was sent off for the first time in his career.

Clement said: “We have played a team that is chasing promotion and we are fighting relegation. At times you could see that gulf in quality.

“We were under pressure for a long time but we forgot to attack. The timing of the first goal so early in the second half was a big blow and ultimately we shot ourselves in the foot.”

The first half sending off of Edwards was a big blow but Clement added: “In my two other managerial jobs I never had an occasion when I was down to 10 men. Now I’ve had it twice in my first two games.”

However, he remains optimistic about Reading’s prospects despite an impending relegation dog-fight, adding: “We are looking up and looking who we have to hunt down.”