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Steve Bruce shapes up to rewrite history with Aston Villa makeover | Louise Taylor

A record-breaking four promotions from the Championship will stand the former Birmingham City manager in good stead for his latest managerial roleSteve Bruce may be half the man he used to be but Aston Villa’s new manager remains a heavyweight promotion expert. So far so good for Tony Xia but, even though the clocks have still to go back, history suggests Villa’s ambitious Chinese owner may have to forget about an instant return to the Premier League this season.Indeed should Bruce – who has lost a staggering amount of weight and, even more startlingly, coloured his hair ash blond since resigning as Hull City’s manager in the summer – fulfil widespread West Midlands expectation having been named as Roberto Di...

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Rafa Benítez rues misses after Aston Villa hold Newcastle in fallen giants’ clash

The first meeting of two Champions League-winning managers outside the top flight saw Newcastle display promotion credentials but Villa punished their profligacy and battled to a drawWhen Newcastle United previously visited Villa Park, on the penultimate day of last season, they drew 0-0 against the already relegated Aston Villa, slipping closer to the drop themselves as a result. Of the 11 United players who started that day, only two began here – Paul Dummett and Jamaal Lascelles – which says something about the level of turnover at the club over the summer.Rafael Benítez may have come away with another point on Saturday – and, once more, a sense of frustration after his side missed a plethora of chances to add...

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