Pressure eased as Aston Villa square up to Middlesbrough again

Compared to the tension which existed before last week’s 0-0 draw in the Championship, the build-up to tonight’s game has been markedly more relaxed for Villa boss Steve Bruce and that is not exclusively down to the Saturday’s 3-0 win at Barnsley.

There is no doubt the Carabao Cup falls some way down the pecking order of priorities among management, players and supporters at a club where promotion is the only thing that matters.

But the competition has certainly delivered some fine entertainment where Villa are concerned.

Their first-round win at Colchester was played in a near monsoon, while their 4-1 second-round triumph over Wigan saw, arguably, the most fluent performance by any Villa XI this season.

Bruce has used the cup as an opportunity for the club’s youngsters to stake their claim and boy, have they taken it.

Callum O’Hare, Mitchell Clark and Jake Doyle-Hayes have all impressed, the latter to the point where he has recently signed a new long-term contract.

The kids have been given able support, meanwhile, by a number of fringe players eager to remind the manager of their qualities.

One of the more pleasing aspects of the Wigan performance was the way the likes of Tommy Elphick, Ritchie De Laet and James Bree approached the game.

They looked like players hungry to succeed and it is notable Albert Adomah, who captured the almost carnival atmosphere with a headstand goal celebration, has now forced his way into the first team.

“The good thing about him is that he didn’t sulk when I left him out,” said Bruce after the winger’s two goals at Barnsley.“He has responded in the right way as if to say ‘Don’t you dare leave me out any more’.

“That’s the response you want – that comes with competition.”

Adomah is likely to be one of several players rested. It would be a surprise if Bruce did not change the entire XI from the one which started at Oakwell.

Bree, De Laet and Elphick should all feature while Scott Hogan, who has scored three goals in the competition’s opening two rounds, will be given the chance to add to his tally.

Middlesbrough are also expected to make wholesale changes and the attendance will likely be some way below the 26,000 or so who watched last week’s league fixture. Those who do turn up, however, could well end up pleased they did.