Dean Smith’s Villans and Frank Lampard’s Rams lock horns at Wembley in the Championship playoff final on Monday.
Most of the Championship’s players have jetted off on their holidays by now but for Aston Villa and Derby County, preparations are in full swing for their date with destiny as they lock horns at Wembley Stadium for a place in the Premier League next season.
Dean Smith’s side led 2-1 against West Bromwich Albion from the first leg at Villa Park on Saturday but the Baggies’ Craig Dawson scored the only goal in the return leg to level and send the tie all the way to penalties.
Villa’s Jed Steer went on to save two penalties, while Tammy Abraham converted the final kick to send his side to Wembley for the second consecutive season against the ten men of Albion, having seen Chris Brunt sent off after 79 minutes.
As for Derby, they became the first side to lose the first leg of a second-tier playoff semi-final at home and still reach the final when they overturned a 1-0 loss against Leeds United at Pride Park to triumph 4-2 on the night – and 4-3 on aggregate – at Elland Road.
One of the players stepping up preparations is Tyrone Mings, who is one game away from cementing his place as a Villa club legend should he help his team overcome Frank Lampard’s Rams in the capital.
The Bournemouth loanee did not take long to endear himself to the B6 faithful as he became one of the key components in the team’s surge from mid-table mediocrity to the top six and subsequently the playoff final.
Here is what Mings posted on Twitter ahead of the Wembley clash:
The towering centre-back can do little wrong in the eyes of the Villa fanbase at present, and some responded to him with appreciation and well wishes:
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