Jack Grealish happy to take another kicking as Aston Villa target Wembley

The 22-year-old talisman was influential in ensuring Steve Bruce’s men head into their Championship play-off semi-final second leg against Middlesbrough with their noses in front.

He is now aiming for a repeat performance to help his boyhood club complete the job and book their place in the May 26 final.

Grealish, who has enjoyed the most consistent form of his career in recent months, came in for some rough treatment during Saturday’s 1-0 win at the Riverside but still managed to set up Mile Jedinak for the only goal of the game.

And the Bodymoor Heath academy product claims that, far from shying away from the physical side of the game, he actually enjoys it.

“I don’t mind getting kicked. I like it,” he said. “I go on like I don’t! But I do. It shows the opposition are keeping an eye on me.”

Grealish believes taking knocks is par for the course and should be viewed as a sign of respect by players like himself and Boro’s dangerous winger Adama Traore, who Villa were able to neutralise during Saturday’s first encounter.

The former Barcelona star, who joined Boro in 2016 after a disappointing 12 months at Villa Park, was man-marked out of the game by Alan Hutton.

“Adama gets it all the time because he’s a such a good player,” said Grealish. “We weren’t going out to kick him or hurt him but you’ve got to be wary of these players.

“He’s that fast, you need more than one or two players on him. It worked on Saturday.

“He could win the game for them and I’m sure he’s desperate to against his old club. We’ll be working hard on Tuesday for that not to happen.”

Villa have proven themselves excellent frontrunners this season, never being beaten and only failing to win twice when they have opened the scoring.

They also boast a formidable home record, though Boro can perhaps take heart in the fact they are one of only three visiting teams to have won at Villa Park this term, albeit in a Capital One Cup tie where both teams made wholesale changes.

Historically, when it comes to two-legged ties, Villa have rarely taken the easy route and made things easy for their supporters.

The last time they emerged from an away first leg with a 1-0 advantage was a 2010 League Cup semi-final with Blackburn Rovers.

Villa eventually progressed to Wembley but only after winning a frenetic second leg 6-4.

All too aware the job is far from complete Grealish confirmed Bruce’s claim of Villa’s dressing room having been quiet in the wake of Saturday’s first-leg triumph.

“As everyone says, it’s just half-time,” he said. “It would be like celebrating at half-time in a league game.

“We’re happy, but it’s half-time. It’s my first experience of the play-offs but quite a few of the other lads have been in it, so they can pass their experience on.

“Saturday’s win will give us great confidence going into the second leg. We went there with a game-plan. We did it and it worked, it paid off.

“Hopefully we can do the same, go into it with a winning mentality and get through to Wembley.”

Tonight’s game is the first ever play-off fixture at Villa Park and the hosts are set to be roared on by a capacity home crowd.

Bruce’s men have tended to shine on the big stage this season, recording big derby wins over Blues and Wolves on their own turf.

Yet Grealish believes players are best served putting the occasion to one side, on what promises to be among the biggest nights of his own young career to date.

“I just see it as a game of football. That’s what I’ve always done,” he said. “It’s a massive game, the play-offs, everyone’s watching. Everyone knows how big it is but it’s just a game of football, what we’ve done all our lives.

“We’ve had some great atmospheres at Villa Park this season but we’ll try not to let the occasion get to us.

“Is this my biggest game? I’m not trying to boast but I’ve played at Wembley, FA Cup final and semi-final.

“But it could be, to get back to the Premier League, where this club belongs.

“It’d be one of the biggest games I’ve played in but I’m relishing it. These are the games that you live for.”