Queens Park Rangers boss Ian Holloway managed to respond to Aston Villa owner Dr Tony Xia on Tuesday night, following an outburst on social media from the Chinese businessman last summer.

At the end of July last year, Holloway, a pundit at the time for Sky Sports, was asked to to predict where each team would finish in the Championship.

He felt Villa would finish in a lowly 16th position following their relegation from the Premier League.

"They're lucky I've put them this high. Last season Villa's players felt the weight of the shirt, but not the importance of it," Holloway said, at the time.

"They didn't respect the badge enough. I'm worried nothing will change.

"They could easily get relegated again. With the lack of investment and the lack of unity within the playing squad.

"It's going to take something special to turn it around.

"It's not going to be easy. Teams as big as Villa have suffered back-to-back relegations. They need to be really careful."

Ian Holloway had a llittle response for Villa chairman Dr Tony Xia on Tuesday night

Xia was alerted to the prediction and went on Twitter to launch a scathing attack on Holloway, writing: "A failed player, failed manager and now f***ed pundit. Don't bother reading at all!"

And ahead of Tuesday night's clash, Xia explained why he ranted in response. Villa's owner was concerned Holloway's doom-mongering would put off potential signings at a time when the club were trying to overhaul their squad.

"The reason was those kind of words made it more difficult to sign good players. Otherwise who cares what he said?," said Xia, to our sister title Birmingham Mail.

Ian Holloway last summer predicted Villa would finish 16th in the Championship, and Dr Tony Xia did not like it

After QPR narrowly lost 1-0 at Villa Park, Holloway spoke to the London press and says Xia can say what he likes about him.

"Villa have got a fantastic manager and when you come down into the Championship, perhaps it's not going to be fixed as your chairman might think," said Holloway.

"I don't care what their chairman has said about me, he can say what he likes, but he's got the right man in charge at Villa who is absolutely brilliant.

"Well done to Villa, it's been a big thing for Steve to turn around and Villa are on the up."