Five key play-off head-to-heads that will separate Middlesbrough and Aston Villa

Britt Assombalonga vs John Terry

Tony Pulis’ biggest selection dilemma ahead of Saturday night relates to the identity of his lone centre-forward. Patrick Bamford’s injury could not have come at a worse time for the striker, with Britt Assombalonga replacing him at Derby and scoring in successive games. Assombalonga started Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Ipswich, and is expected to get the nod against Villa.

Will he be able to get much change out of John Terry? The former England centre-half started relatively slowly after moving to Villa Park last summer, and missed a huge chunk of the winter months after breaking his metatarsal. He returned to action in January though, and his central-defensive partnership with James Chester has been a key factor in Villa’s strong form in the second half of the campaign.

With his vast big-game experience with England and Chelsea, Terry will not be fazed by the prospect of a play-off semi-final. Might his lack of mobility be a factor though, with Assombalonga sure to be keen to play on his shoulder in an attempt to make runs behind him?

Boro do not boast a plethora of goalscoring options, so Assombalonga’s performance is likely to be crucial. Outpacing Terry looks to be his best bet of making an impact.

Adama Traore vs Neil Taylor

Adama Traore spent 12 months as an Aston Villa player, but a combination of Tim Sherwood, Remi Garde and Eric Black restricted his involvement to just 11 substitute appearances in the league and a solitary start in the League Cup. Villa couldn’t wait to get the Spaniard through the exit door when Boro came calling – one imagines they are kicking themselves now.

Like the music executive who refused to sign The Beatles, the Villa hierarchy must have watched Traore’s performances this season with a combination of amazement and regret. Could Boro’s wing-heeled winger be about to rub their faces in it once more?

Traore’s performances under Pulis have been nothing short of sensational, and as stand-in Ipswich boss Bryan Klug observed at the weekend, so much of Boro’s game plan revolves around getting the ball to the 20-year-old.

Seasoned full-back Neil Taylor will be charged with the task of halting him in his tracks, and it was surely telling that Steve Bruce opted to rest the Wales international at the weekend. Taylor is a highly-rated performer – Newcastle United tried desperately to sign him while he was playing for Swansea – but he is about to encounter his toughest two tests of the season.

Adam Clayton vs Jack Grealish

Jack Grealish is something of an enigma. When Villa were plummeting out of the Premier League, the 22-year-old midfielder was one of the few players to emerge with any credit. Indeed, for a while, he was being touted as a future superstar as England and the Republic of Ireland battled for his international signature.

In the end, Grealish chose England, but his career has nosedived during Villa’s time in the Championship, and he missed the first four months of the current campaign through injury. He is back in the side now though, and has gradually rediscovered the form that made him such a hot property a couple of years ago.

Villa boast a high-class midfield, with Robert Snodgrass, Glenn Whelan and Connor Hourihane all bringing something to the table, but it is Grealish that provides the X-factor. Will Adam Clayton be able to contain him from his position at the base of Boro’s midfield?

Clayton got the nod over Grant Leadbitter at Ipswich, and has been preferred to Boro’s club captain in each of the last four games. He is likely to start on Saturday, and boasts greater mobility than his fellow midfielder. He will need it to keep Grealish in check.

Daniel Ayala vs Lewis Grabban

Lewis Grabban started the season playing for a team that will be in League One next season – he could end it by firing a different club into the Premier League. The fact he is in the top three goalscorers for both speaks volumes for his attacking ability.

Grabban scored 12 league goals for Sunderland in the first half of the season, a hugely impressive tally given the Black Cats’ struggles at the foot of the table. He forced his way out of the Stadium of Light in January, and has added another eight Championship goals since signing for Villa. Scott Hogan started Villa’s weekend dead rubber at Millwall, but Grabban will almost certainly return to the side to face Boro.

The Bournemouth loanee is similar to Assombalonga in that he is a striker who comes alive in the penalty box. Both Ben Gibson and Daniel Ayala will have to be fully switched on to ensure he is not afforded any room.

Ayala tends to be the defender that sticks closest to a lone striker, and while the Spaniard is likely to outperform Grabban in the air, he will have to prove he can be as effective when the ball is on the ground. And if he can chip in with a goal at the other end, he really will have completed a good night’s work.

Tony Pulis vs Steve Bruce

The play-off semi-final will ultimately be settled by what happens on the pitch. But the input of the competing managers will nevertheless be crucial, with both boasting more than a decade of experience in the top two divisions. They have both been through high-pressure occasions like this countless times before.

Pulis will not be deviating from the tactical template he has established since taking over at the Riverside in late December. Boro will play in a 4-1-4-1 formation, with Clayton likely to be the sitting midfielder. Mo Besic will be encouraged to push on from midfield, but Pulis’ main priority on Saturday will be to keep things tight. Any kind of a lead will be a decent outcome to take to Villa.

There is no away goals rule in the play-offs, so Bruce might well feel he does not have to force the issue on Saturday. Whelan and Snodgrass will almost certainly be instructed to sit, and Bruce will not be instructing his full-backs to bomb on.

That could well lead to a somewhat cagey affair, and if there are to be fireworks over the next seven days, they are more likely to occur at Villa Park. On Saturday, the priority for both managers will be to remain in the tie.