TONY PULIS will be urging his players to focus purely on what they are capable of regardless of what Middlesbrough’s play-off rivals are getting up to in the remaining games of the promotion run-in.

Aston Villa’s assistant manager Colin Calderwood has suggested Boro are in better form going into the final weekend of the regular Championship season, even though the Villans have collected ten points from their last four unbeaten fixtures.

There is a general feeling that teams who narrowly miss out on a automatic promotion spot can be deflated when they head into the play-off battles.

That has been the case with Villa, although they still have a trip to Millwall to negotiate on Sunday when they will be looking for a performance to maintain decent spirits ahead of the two-legged affair for a Wembley appearance.

Middlesbrough look like they will face Aston Villa in the play-off semi-final, with Steve Bruce’s side guaranteed fourth and Pulis’ men occupying a place just below – holding a three point cushion and a three-goal advantage in goal difference over Derby.

Middlesbrough have won their last three to clinch a top six spot and now Pulis and his backroom team want that run to continue – regardless of what outsiders are saying about them, including Calderwood.

“I think Middlesbrough are in better form than us, the recent games tell you that,” said Villa’s No 2.

“We are clear with where we are. We won't have the disappointment of missing out (on top two). Whichever way you dress it up, you have to deal with the situation in front of you.

“There can be no negative thoughts for us. We go home and away to win and hopefully we will win a game where we're not playing in anyone's home ground. That's our attitude.”

What securing fourth place does mean is that a second leg will be played at Villa Park, which many will see as a potential disadvantage.

If Middlesbrough, who will look to finish the season with the point that will guarantee fifth and avoid a double header with Fulham instead, turn up in the same frame of mind as they have for the last few matches then it will be hard for any side to beat them.

Calderwood said: “Whenever I’ve been involved in the play-offs, they’ve been very exciting matches. The home atmosphere can lift the whole team, which means you've got to be wary of what you face when you go away.

"We've got to see it as two normal games of football, but take all the help and support that can be given to us. It'll take a lot for anyone to beat the kind of support and atmosphere that's generated here.”

Just last week Pulis spoke about the need to ignore what was going on around them, and that mentality has got them back on a winning note in recent weeks which is what Pulis wants to see maintained.

He said: “If you are in the play-offs then there is no way in a million years you can pick this or that team to face, you just want to get there. Then we will look at it if we get there.

“I don’t buy the theory that the team who just misses out on automatic will be mentally scarred. On the day, when you get to big games, it is how the players handle it. That’s the important thing.

“You need breaks, you need luck, you need decisions, there are so many permutations and variables, in respect to winning games of football in high pressure games, you could go crazy thinking about them all.”