Aston Villa v Fulham tips: Cagey Championship play-off final awaits
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There’s a reported £170m on the line when Fulham and Aston Villa meet in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.
The two sides finished third and fourth in the table, so it’s fitting they should be the ones fighting it out for a Premier League return.
An intriguing difference of footballing styles awaits. Slavisa Jokanovic’s youthful and spritely Cottagers are up against Steve Bruce’s tactically astute and supremely experienced Villans.
Fulham have bags of pace and energy up front in Aleksander Mitrovic, Ryan Sessegnon and the rapid Aboubakar Kamara.
Will they be able to take the game to Villa and get beyond John Terry, Alan Hutton and James Chester?
The Midlanders have plenty of attacking nous too in the likes of Lewis Grabban, Conor Hourihane, Robert Snodgrass and Albert Adomah.
Our traders have given Fulham the favourites tag to win in 90 minutes at 13/10.
There’s 23/10 for Villa to get the job done in normal time, with 21/10 saying it’s a draw and then extra-time.
As for who goes up, Fulham are 4/6 with Villa 6/5.
With so much at stake, sides often go in the game eager to avoid defeat rather than risk winning it. Only three of the last 15 Championship play-off finals have seen both teams score.
Fulham and Villa had two of the best six defensive records in the league, and there’s 8/15 for under 2.5 goals, while it’s 33/20 for under 1.5.
And with only three of Fulham’s last 10 and two of Villa’s last 11 games going BTTS, there’s 3/4 about Both Teams to Score – No.
Much of Fulham’s strong end to the campaign was thanks to the loan arrival of Mitrovic.
The Newcastle United striker netted 12 goals from 17 appearances, and is 7/2 favourite to score first at Wembley. Mitrovic is 6/4 to net anytime.
All eyes will be on teenage wonderkid Sessegnon, however, after the 18-year-old hit 16 goals from the left-flank this season. He’s 9/2 to cap off a sensational year with the opener and 19/10 anytime.
As for Villa, Adomah bagged 14 league goals from the right-hand side. The 30-year-old is 8/1 to break the deadlock and 3/1 anytime.
