Aston Villa’s unbeaten run was ended by champions Norwich City on Sunday.
Micky Gray has questioned whether Aston Villa are favourites going into the playoffs following their 2-1 defeat to champions Norwich City on Sunday.
The talkSPORT pundit admitted that Villa were his team to beat a few weeks ago and warned how the favourites never really go all the way when it comes to the playoffs.
There is no doubt that Dean Smith’s side are the in-form team heading into these matches because they have lost only one of their last 13 matches.
Speaking to Sunday Exclusive on TalkSport (05/05/2019), Gray admitted that the playoffs are now hard to call because there isn’t a standout team.
“Who is favourites in these playoffs?” Gray asked on TalkSport. “A couple of weeks ago if you asked me, I would have said Aston Villa. But I don’t know what that’s going to do to them losing that game against the champions. But it’s just anybody’s.
“We saw last season, we see it every single season, when you get into these playoffs, it’s never quite the favourites that go all the way.”
Dean Smith’s side are now locked in to play Midland rivals West Brom in the first leg of the semi-final on home soil this Saturday, with the reverse leg taking place at the Hawthorns next Tuesday night.
The other playoff encounter will see third-placed Leeds United take on Frank Lampard’s Derby County, who needed a win on the final day of the regular season to secure the last playoff spot.
Last season, Villa were beaten by Fulham at Wembley, whilst the same team, who have since been relegated from the Premier League, beat Derby in the semi-finals.
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