Charlie Adam believes that Aston Villa’s experience will be a deciding factor in their play-off final clash with Derby County.
The Villans play the Rams next Monday having missed out on an immediate return to the top flight last season when they lost to Fulham at the same stage.
But Adam thinks that Dean Smith’s will do it this time around.
Speaking on talkSPORT (May 21st, 9.15am), when asked who he thought would win at Wembley, he said: “Villa.
“The momentum they’ve got going into it. Frank’s done a great job at Derby, but the experience Villa have got, last year being at Wembley, they players that they’ve got.
“On paper, I fancy them to do it.”
OPINION
It’s hard to argue with Adam on this one. Villa are the form team in the Championship, and it’s difficult to see them coming unstuck in this one. Make no mistake, Derby will be no pushovers, especially after the incredible spirit they showed to give Leeds United a bloody nose in the semi-finals, but Villa are playing out of their skin at the moment. If they can get the players that have made the difference this season – Tammy Abraham, Jack Grealish, John McGinn, Tyrone Mings – up and running early doors, you would fancy them to have enough on the day to see off Derby. That Wembley experience that Adam mentions will also come in useful, no doubt, but even putting that aside, Villa look like the more reliable and accomplished of the two teams. They had to do it the hard way against West Brom, but they will be well-rested and well-motivated for this one, and they will not want to fall at the last hurdle for a second year running.