Danny Mills has predicted Aston Villa to beat Derby County in the Championship play-off final and secure promotion to the Premier League.
The Villans reached the Wembley showpiece event last season but were beaten 1-0 by Fulham, Tom Cairney’s goal proving the difference between the two sides.
But Dean Smith’s side will be there again having got past West Brom on penalties on Tuesday evening, and Mills told Football Insider that they will defeat the Rams on Bank Holiday Monday.
“On the balance of play, I would make Villa the favourites,” the Sky Sports pundit said. “They have experience, they have been there before and have an experienced coaching staff, including John Terry who was there last year, which helps.
“But Derby have a young side with some talented players and sometimes there is a brilliant naivety about players who haven’t experienced big-match disappointments.
“It will be built up as John Terry v Frank Lampard, the Chelsea play-off, although I’m not sure that’s fair on Dean Smith. Derby will be the underdogs and Villa will have to deal with the pressure and expectancy.”
OPINION
You would have to fancy Aston Villa to prevail in this one. Having been there before last season and lost, the Villans know exactly how it feels to fall at the final hurdle in the quest to earn promotion to the Premier League. This time round, you can bet top dollar that Smith’s side will be doing all they can to make sure it does not happen again. But as vital as the experience of last season will prove to Villa, Frank Lampard’s young Derby side will go to Wembley with nothing to lose. They have had a brilliant campaign and arguably have the momentum going into the final; while Villa had to scrape through on penalties after falling flat in the second leg, Derby – having lost the first leg – turned it on in style in the second leg to smash four past Leeds. Overall, this is going to be a Championship play-off final to remember.