This game’s first leg ended in an unlikely away win for the host, so it is advantage Villa ahead of this return leg. Mile Jedinak’s header sealed a crucial 1-0 victory for the Birmingham club in the 1st Leg at the Riverside. Boro had spells of pressure but couldn’t break down a very disciplined Villa side that thwarted the threat of old boy Adama Traore.
Villa only need to avoid losing for them to go through to the final in Wembley, but that would be a terrible way of thinking for Steve Bruce’s men who seem to have a more creative team with Jack Grealish pulling the strings from midfield, and he did that excellently in the first leg.
Boro struggled to create clear-cut chances in the first leg and that was largely down to Villa making Adama Traore ineffective. The Teessiders would have to come up with another game plan in this second leg if they want to stand any chance of beating Villa at home. Boro have won just two of their last 9 away games and that doesn’t send any fear to the camp of Aston Villa ahead of this match. However, Villa haven’t beaten Middlesbrough in any of the last five times they have hosted them, losing two and drawing three.
