Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has said that he “wouldn’t be surprised” to see one goal separate Aston Villa and Derby County on Monday afternoon.
The two sides clash at Wembley in the play-off final for the last place in next season’s Premier League, having got past West Brom and Leeds United in the semi-finals respectively.
Writing in a column for Sky Sports News, Prutton predicted that Derby would win 1-0.
“These are such nervy affairs because there is so much at stake, and you can usually feel the tension in the air hours before kick-off,” the Sky pundit said.
“There aren’t often too many goals either. You have to go back to 2012 for the last time both teams scored in the final, and more often than not, it has finished 1-0.
“Both of these sides are much better going forward than in defence, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a solitary goal decided this one again. It could so easily go either way, but I just think because of the way Derby came back against Leeds they will believe they can do it again.”
OPINION
Whatever the result, it’s going to be a cracking play-off final. As Prutton says earlier in his column, it is set up brilliantly. You have two former Chelsea legends – John Terry and Frank Lampard – battling it out to help their sides return to the Premier League, while there are lots of exciting loan players playing their final games this term, such as Harry Wilson and Tammy Abraham. It should be one of the most exciting play-off finals in recent seasons, but there is no doubt it will not be a goal-fest. No one wants to go full-on attacking and risk losing because of it in a play-off final. Going into the game, you have to say that Derby have the momentum. They were fantastic against Leeds, firing four past Marcelo Bielsa’s side – at Elland Road no less. Villa, meanwhile, scraped past the Baggies on penalties and were much less convincing in their progression. Either way, having lost last year’s final, Villa will still be favourites to avenge last season’s defeat to Fulham.