Steve Bruce: Play-offs ‘won’t faze big guns’ at Aston Villa
Villa boss Steve Bruce backed his players to handle the occasion as they continue to plot their promotion assault.
Villa hold a slender 1-0 lead over Middlesbrough ahead of tonight’s play-off second leg in Birmingham.
Mile Jedinak’s header won it at the Riverside on Saturday as they look to end their two-year Premier League exile.
Bruce was appointed in October 2016, with Villa 19th, and has previously questioned the mentality and ability of some players to handle the pressure – although he expects no problems this evening.
He said: “It’s a big club, history and tradition and you need big players.
“The ones we have brought in: (Ahmed) Elmohamady, John Terry, Mile Jedinak, all people who have bought the t-shirt and you know they will not get fazed.
“There have been a lot of players who have struggled to come to terms with playing for a big club.
“We’ve given ourselves an advantage, we’re playing against a very experienced team and experienced manager.
“We can’t take anything for granted; if we think we can show up and just put our boots on then we’re mistaken.
“We have to be as good as we were on Saturday.”
