Aston Villa

Bent: Play-off final is 50/50

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Image for Bent: Play-off final is 50/50

Darren Bent has suggested that the Championship play-off final between Aston Villa and Derby County is too close to call.

The two teams will meet at Wembley on Monday afternoon after having beaten West Brom and Leeds United respectively to get through the semi-finals, but Bent, who has played for both clubs, is unable to separate them on paper.

Speaking on talkSPORT (May 24th, 12.40am), he said: “As far as the football club goes, Villa need to be in the Premier League. They’re a big club, big budget, fantastic stadium.

“I live in the Birmingham area so I know how much it means.

“It’s such an even game.

“A lot of people have said to me ‘if Grealish turns up on the day, I think Villa have the edge’. Listen, Derby have got a player in Mason Mount who is equally as good as Grealish.

“It’s not a foregone conclusion. For me it’s 50/50.”

OPINION

When it comes to play-off finals, form and logic go out of the window. This is 90 minutes between two sides who have fought tooth and nail to be where they are, playing under the unique pressure that only comes when the carrot at the end of the stick is as incredible as it is here. This is, by far the biggest game that most of these lads will play in during the entire course of their careers. How can you even begin to articulate how much they will be feeling the strain of that? You can’t. As much as this is about football and talent on the pitch, it is also about mental fortitude, and holding your nerve when it counts most. On that basis, Villa maybe hold the edge, purely because they have played in one of these just last season, but don’t forget, they lost that match against Fulham, and perhaps that failure will be lingering in the back of their minds this time around. For the neutral at least, this mouthwatering.

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