Steve Bruce is inching closer towards the Aston Villa job and will be formally interviewed in the next 48 hours.

Bruce has been identified as Villa's leading target and is set to have talks with the club's board in the coming days, ahead of a possible appointment before the weekend. The 55-year-old is available after leaving Hull City on the eve of the season and has already had preliminary talks with Villa's technical director Steve Round and chief executive Keith Wyness.