Conor Hourihane’s 25th minute goal has given Aston Villa a 1-0 lead over the Blues at half-time, with Town having been reduced to 10 men following Grant Ward’s late red card.
Blues boss Mick McCarthy says his players have a spring in their step as they visit bottom club Rotherham having beaten promotion-pushing Newcastle United on Monday as they recorded back-to-back victories for the first time this season.
Town’s 11-goal loanee, Tom Lawrence, is odds-on favourite to finish the season as the club’s leading goalscorer, but Grant Ward, who trails the Wales international by five, has revealed that he and seven-goal Freddie Sears are both keen to claim the runner-up position in the scoring chart.
Assistant caretaker-boss Gerard Nash is looking forward to sharing the touchline with Steve Bruce, one of the Championship’s most experienced managers, when the Blues take on Aston Villa at Portman Road on Saturday afternoon.
Town go into this afternoon’s Sir Bobby Robson Day fixture against Newcastle United still looking to record back-to-back victories for the first time this season. The Blues got their Easter games off to a winning start and all but sealed their Championship status by defeating Burton Albion 2-1 at the Pirelli Stadium on Friday.