The participants in the Championship play-off final will be decided on Tuesday when Middlesbrough travel to Aston Villa, with a Wembley date against Fulham up for grabs.
Chances were few and far between in the first leg, with Mile Jedinak's header for Villa being the only thing that separated the two sides.
Boro were arguably the better team at the Riverside, though, with more possession and more shots on goal, and will hope to turn that into a positive result at Villa Park.
| Game | Aston Villa vs Middlesbrough |
| Date | Tuesday, May 15 |
| Time | 7:45 BST | 2:45 ET |
TV Channel, Live Stream & How to Watch
In the United States (US), the game can be watched on ESPN+.
| US TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ | n/a |
In the United Kingdom (UK), the game can be watched live on TV on Sky Sports Football and it can be streamed live online using Sky Go.
| UK TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| Sky Sports Football | Sky Go |
Squads & Team News
| Position | Aston Villa Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Johnstone, Bunn, Steer |
| Defenders | Terry, Taylor, Chester, Samba, Hutton, Elmohamady, Tuanzebe, Bree, Richards |
| Midfielders | Whelan, Snodgrass, Hourihane, Jedinak, Onomah, Green, Bjarnason, Adomah |
| Forwards | Kodjia, McCormack, Davis, Grabban, O'Hare, Agbonlahor, Hogan |
Neil Taylor suffered a hamstring injury against Derby County at the end of April and won't play in this tie, while Ahmed Elmohamady is a doubt after suffering an injury in the first leg.
Meanwhile, Jed Steer (shoulder) and Axel Tuanzebe (foot) are going to miss this match.
Predicted Aston Villa starting XI: Johnstone; Elmohamady, Chester, Terry, Hutton, Whelan, Snodgrass, Grealish, Hourihane, Adomah, Grabban.
| Position | Middlesbrough Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Konstantopoulos, Randolph, Mejias |
| Defenders | Fabio, Friend, Ayala, Shotton, Gibson, Fry, Cranie |
| Midfielders | Leadbitter, Besic, Baker, Harrison, Howson, Downing, Clayton |
| Forwards | Bamford, Traore, Assombalonga, Gestede |
Daniel Ayala went off injured with a knee problem in the first leg leaving him a doubt for the second leg.
Other than that, Boro should have a fully-fit squad apart from Rudy Gestede, who has been out with a broken ankle since February.
Predicted Middlesbrough starting XI: Randolph; Shotton, Fry, Gibson, Friend; Clayton, Traore, Besic, Howson, Downing, Assombalonga.
Betting & Match Odds
Aston Villa are fancied to hold on to their advantage and are 5/4 to win at home. Middlesbrough are 23/10 to win and a draw is priced at 21/10.
Match Preview
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This game is set to be a showcase of both clubs' strongest attributes, with Villa's defensive expertise and experience likely to be crucial as they try to hold onto their slender advantage.
The explosiveness and power of the likes of Boro's Adama Traore and Britt Assombalonga will make for a great match-up with the Villa backline.
Middlesbrough may need to strike early for the game to open up as Villa would be more than happy to keep things tight.
Boro boss Tony Pulis feels that his side do not deserve to be going into the second leg a goal down
"We've got to go to Villa Park and a full house. But it's still all to play for," said Pulis. "I don't think anybody could say we deserved to lose the game."
Steve Bruce believes that his experienced players can carry Villa over the line on their way to Wembley and a showdown with Fulham.
The Villa boss said: "I brought experienced players in the door to handle what Villa throws at them, they all handle playing under pressure on a big night."
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