Aston Villa's away day resilience again set to be tested at Preston

Any hope Steve Bruce’s men have of challenging for the automatic promotion places depends on a solid away record and, after a worrying start, the manager has recently been given reason to think his summer mission to toughen up his team was successful.

Since going down with a whimper at Cardiff and Reading, last month’s derby defeat to Wolves is Villa’s only defeat in five away league games, while they won big at both Barnsley and Burton.

It will take more performances like that to convince supporters their team’s weak underbelly is finally a thing of the past, though a positive result at Preston tonight would certainly help the cause. Last season’s 2-0 defeat at Deepdale was typical of Villa on their travels last term and saw Roberto Di Matteo sacked as boss.

“For most of last season we weren’t good enough away from home and Preston was one of the worst,” recalls defender James Chester.

“We always take so many travelling fans and it is important to show up and give it a go. That is the biggest change this season.

“Something we wanted to improve on this year. Apart from the first couple of games this season and the performance at Wolves, we have started to turn it around.”

He continued: "I think we have a lot of experienced professionals in the team now who know how to get a job done even when performances aren’t great.

"We have perhaps had to do that a couple of times away from home this season. Certainly on Sunday after half-time, when it got a little bit scary and the pressure was on us, we found a way to turn the game around."

While relishing the occasion of Sunday’s Second City derby, Chester later admitted to being glad meetings with Blues only come around twice a season.

Yet the Wales international knows to expect another physical battle tonight, against a Preston outfit who have been in and around the top six to this point.

In a marathon like the Championship, it is weeks such as this which can often make or break the season.

Go well tonight and at home to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday and Villa could soon be breathing down the necks of the top two. Stumble and they will quickly find themselves back in mid-table.

“If we get decent results from these games it augers well for the rest of the season,” said Chester.

“I would not say Preston are a surprise package but I don’t think anyone expected them to do as well as they have done. They have a way of playing which works for them. We know on Wednesday we will have to prepare well and batten down the hatches again. We know what’s coming.”

Villa are set to be without striker Jonathan Kodjia, but the hosts are suffering a defensive crisis with centre-back Andy Boyle set to make his first appearance of the season.

Lilywhites boss Alex Neil is without skipper Paul Huntington through suspension, while Ben Davies is facing around three weeks on the sidelines after having his appendix out.

Tommy Spurr, Greg Cunningham and Tom Clarke are long-term absentees. Former Villa youth-team stars Daniel Johnson and Callum Robinson could both line-up against their former clubs.