Aston Villa have given Sam Johnstone extra time off as he edges closer to becoming a father.

The stopper, on loan from Manchester United, missed his first game of the season in the 1-0 defeat at Millwall to be by his partner’s side as she prepared to give birth.

The couple are still waiting for the arrival of their baby which means that Johnstone will travel to Middlesbrough alone and later than the rest of the squad.

He is expected to start regardless of whether the baby is born or not.

Boss Steve Bruce said: “Sam Johnstone is sitting by his girlfriend’s bedside at the moment.

“They’re waiting for their first child.

“We hope that comes along quickly.”

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Villa’s only other injury concerns are full-backs Neil Taylor and Axel Tuanzebe.

Birkir Bjarnason is available again and could make the matchday 18 while Bruce will recall his big-hitters like Jack Grealish, Robert Snodgrass and John Terry after giving them a rest last time out.

“Last weekend was about managing the squad, and taking the load a little bit,” he explained.

“It’s been a long hard season so I wanted a freshness about us.

“I gave the fringe players a go so we could be as fresh as possible for this game.”

Transcript

I’m not nervous yet. With any big game you just have to realise that this is what we are in it for. Better that than to finish thirteenth like last season and we are all packing up to go on our holidays.

Always it was the aim to be there or thereabouts. We are in a good position and in the play-offs against good opposition. We have two games to try and achieve what we need to achieve.

If we can then go up as I have said it’s a great way to do it. This club needs this and wants this and if you look at the four teams in the play-offs they are all the same in terms of having a big structure and wanting to play in the big league. The play-offs should be wonderful and hopefully there will be a great final.

Preparation

We have prepared like we know we can do. There is a certain atmosphere with it being a big occasion, I always used to say ‘I can smell the hotdogs’ - you can smell the big occasion. Let’s relish it, enjoy it and go and perform.

We have some big players who have been there and done it and bought the t-shirts.

I really hope we can go there and do it and perform on the big occasion. The chance to play in the big league is before them, some of them haven’t played there before. Some have.

It is a chance to achieve something in their career and these things don’t come around too often. If they have something about them they will want to grasp that and play on the big occasion.

Tony Pulis

I seemed to have been going up against Tony Pulis for years and years. In lower divisions, in the same city. As you would expect he is doing a very very decent job. I think we all know what to expect, they are a typical Tony Pulis side and 40% of the goals they have scored since he has been in there have come from set-pieces.

We will have to handle that. He has brought stability to that group in key positions and they have just come from the Premier League.

They are big opposition. The attacking players on both sides are in good form and if you want to succeed that is the area where our big players need to do well.

The last time we played them it was classic way performance from us in what I think was Tony’s first game. We would love to repeat that.

They have improved immensely since then and he has had four or five months to implement which way he wants to do it and his way.

Over the years that has been successful. It will all come down to who has that little bit of luck and quality that can win a semi-final, I hope that is us.

We can’t win the tie in the first-leg we just have to try and take something back to Villa Park. I want us to try and enjoy it, but the only way we can do that is to win it, so let’s try our best.

The big occasion

That has to be the aim. Stay in the tie and stay in the semi--final and hope we can come out on top in the tie. You always need the bounce of the ball, a bit of luck and to play well.

We went for experience players because we needed people who could handle playing for Aston Villa. We have six or seven players who have been successful in the play-offs so let’s hope that stands us in good stead.

Full house

A bouncing Villa Park is always something to cherish. It’s going to be some occasion and like in the game against Derby the other week a full house at Villa Park is what we all set out to do. Let’s be in the tie and give ourselves a chance.

Injuries

Everyone is ok, apart from Taylor, and Axel. Everyone else is ok.

Birkir is ok, we have Sam Johnstone sitting by his girlfriend’s bedside waiting on their first child, so we hope that comes along quickly. Other than that we are ok.

Rotation

I don’t think it was about learning. It was just a case of managing the squad and taking the load and making sure there is a freshness about us.

I gave the fringe players a go last weekend to make sure we are as fresh as we possibly can be for this game. Let’s hope I have done it right.

Sir Alex Ferguson

It was ironic, I had a text from him 24-hours before. Thankfully he is on the mend. All the news I have heard is positive which we are all delighted about so let’s wish him a speedy recovery.

I know from personal experience that it is awful, brain hemorrhage. It looks like he is on the right road to recovery which is great.

Arsene Wenger

I think we are starting to realise what Arsene Wenger did. He changed football overnight, he brought in nutrition and different training methods.

He introduced the birth of the foreign coach, to the detriment of all the English ones because everyone wanted to find another Arsene Wenger, which of course you can’t.

I think he will be hugely missed, he has been a real big help to me over the years, he lent me three players once which helped me at a difficult time.

He has revolutionised the Premier League - I am sure he will have lots of job offers and it will be interesting to see if he stays in it. I think he will because he loves football and I think all the people that have doubted him will come to realise what a genius he has been.

They have still kept winning cups, they moved stadiums and didn’t have the funds, they were always in the top four and he really is a remarkable manager.

The U23s

They have a huge game tomorrow.

As I have said from the start of the season, we have a group that will be the future of the club in one way or another.

We have already introduced some with the likes of Keinan Davis, Callum O’Hare, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy and James Bree fits into that bracket too. We have some very good young players and they proved that by winning the Premier League cup.

Let’s hope that they can go and get promoted tomorrow, Kev and his staff have done a wonderful job.

The club is moving forward and moving forward in the right way. They have a chance to win two trophies and they have already won one. Let’s hope we can cap it off and they can do it and we can do it. If we can it has been a successful season for the club.

More Villa news

Quote me happy

Villa's senior stars are pulling together to unite the claret and blues ahead of the play-off semi-final double-header with Boro.

The team spirit is as strong as it has been for years and boss Steve Bruce is confident that his experienced bunch have the qualities to get the job done in the weeks ahead.

Villa's players are also optimistic and upbeat ahead of the next two games and the focus is on getting to Wembley and then winning promotion.

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Adomah bounced back from being sidelined by Steve Bruce early in the season to become Villa's 14 goal top scorer.

The Adama-Adomah debate among Villa and Middlesbrough fans has been reignited ahead of the play-off semi-final between the clubs.

It is an argument that has been rolling along since the pair swapped places of employment in the summer of 2016.

A Maddison avenue?

Marcus Maddison, who has been linked with a move to Villa Park in the past, has officially been transfer listed by Peterborough United.

Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony previously claimed that Bruce ‘absolutely loves’ Maddison.

And given his impressive performance at Villa Park for the Posh in January, Villa will be fully aware of his ability.

The attacking midfielder (who has also been utilised as a winger) has 12 goals and 22 assists in all competitions for the Posh this term.

Let battle commence

The four-way tussle for the top flight will soon get under way.

Villa have their eyes on the prize - a ticket to the Premier League - but so too do Fulham, Middlesbrough and Derby County.

Awaiting one club, is the multi-million pound treasure chest and global exposure that comes hand-in-hand with English top flight football.

How well prepared are the play-off contenders for the rarified oxygen of the Premier League?

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Gregg Evans outlines Villa's case, and we also catch up with Football.London’s Ryan O’Donovan (Fulham), GazetteLive’s Philip Tallentire (Middlesbrough) and, from the Derby Telegraph, Steve Nicholson (Derby County) to assess five key areas that can make or break a promoted club.