This is a good, positive start by Aston Villa. They are quick to close down QPR when in possession and it is unsettling the visitors. As a result, the hosts are the team doing all the attacking at the moment. A lovely move ends with Fabian Delph slicing open the QPR defence and putting Christian Benteke clear on goal, but the striker is offside.

A boost for Aston Villa is the return to form of Christian Benteke. He has five goals in his last six matches and he is the first to threaten in the early exchanges as he connects to a Fabian Delph free-kick, but slices wide.

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A big bear hug from Tim Sherwood on Chris Ramsey as the two friends greet each other before taking their places in their respective dugouts.
The players get into their positions, the referee blows his whistle and QPR get us under way.

Aston Villa captain Fabian Delph and QPR skipper Joey Barton lead their respective teams out on to the pitch, both looking focused on the task ahead.
Massive night for these two sets of players.

BBC

It is a lovely Midlands evening but there are quite a few empty seats at Villa Park, the lack of much to cheer about, or an expensive Easter bank holiday weekend, perhaps playing its part.
Time for a reminder of the line-ups.

PA

Press Association reporter Liam Blackburn is at Bloomfield Road where supporters are protesting against chairman Karl Oyston's running of the club following Blackpool's relegation from the Championship.
The Seasiders are at home to Reading tonight.

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Breaking away from this game briefly and Wigan Athletic have acted quickly in appointing a new manager, placing former captain Gary Caldwell in charge.
He replaces Malky Mackay, who was dismissed on Monday after a 2-0 home defeat by Derby, a result that left the Latics 23rd in the Championship and eight points from safety.
Ex-Scotland international Caldwell, 32, played 111 games for Wigan and was part of their 2013 FA Cup-winning squad. He retired earlier this season because of a persistent hip injury.

12 Apr - QPR v Chelsea
25 Apr - QPR v West Ham
2 May - Liverpool v QPR
10 May - Man City v QPR
16 May - QPR v Newcastle
24 May - Leicester v QPR

11 Apr - Tottenham v Aston Villa
25 Apr - Man City v Aston Villa
2 May - Aston Villa v Everton
9 May - Aston Villa v West Ham
16 May - Southampton v Aston Villa
24 May - Aston Villa v Burnley

BBC

Aston Villa are nothing if not consistent at home this season.
Their three victories at Villa Park have all been 2-1 against bottom-half opposition and have each been spaced three months apart.
Their last home win? 3 March - just over a month ago. Uh oh...

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QPR boss Chris Ramsey is contracted to the club until the end of the season and fears he will find it tough to find another managerial job if he is not kept on.
His long-term prospects at QPR would certainly be damaged if they were relegated, meaning Tim Sherwood could actually push his mate closer to the sack if Aston Villa win tonight. Still, it might not be all bad, with Sherwood hinting Ramsey would have a job at Villa should the worst happen.
"If there was ever an opportunity for me to work with him again I would do that," he says. "I would have to speak to the club about whether we could find a role for him here. He is up there with the very best coaches I have ever seen."

Ron Vlaar is the name which most Aston Villa fans will be pleased to see on Tim Sherwood's teamsheet. The Netherlands centre-back, who has struggled with calf and knee injuries, returned to the bench in Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Manchester United and now replaces Jores Okore in the back four.
Full-backs Leandro Bacuna and Kieran Richardson also return, along with midfielders Tom Cleverley - who was ineligible to face his parent club at Old Trafford - and teenager Jack Grealish.
QPR boss Chris Ramsey makes a couple of enforced changes from Saturday's 4-1 win at West Brom. Full-back Yun Suk-young and winger Eduardo Vargas both came off injured and are replaced again by veteran pair Clint Hill and Niko Kranjcar.

BBC

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Not watching their side play top flight football would be an alien concept for many Aston Villa fans.
The last time they plied their trade in the second tier of English football was back in 1988, a year when a 19-year-old Kylie Minogue was dominating the charts with "I should be so lucky", shell suits were commonplace and footballers' hairstyles were magnificent.
When you consider the fact Villa have spent almost three decades in the top flight, Tim Sherwood is probably not far off the truth when he says this is the club's biggest game in years...