Middlesbrough at Villa Park in quickest ever post

Very quick post from me today, possibly the quickest ever as I'm late for so many things. So here goes.

We're on a good run. But it means nothing if we don't keep winning. The best players at the best teams will one day say that winning is everything and that not winning hurts. It's the same for supporters. It's also what is required to succeed.

We need to win today. For the obvious reasons and the not so obvious. The not so obvious are many and we all have one or two. Dean Smith knows this and the players are starting to look like they know it too.

My bet; Grealish and McGinn to both score today. What odds do you think I'll get? I'll be back at 2pm. Until then, up the Villa.

Video of the day

Match facts from the BBC

  • Aston Villa are looking to complete a first league double over Middlesbrough since the 2002-03 season.
  • Including last season's two play-off matches, settled by a single first-leg header from Mile Jedinak, Boro have failed to score in five consecutive league matches against Villa.
  • Villa have so far won all their three matches in March - as many as they won in December, January and February combined in all competitions.
  • Boro striker Ashley Fletcher has scored three goals in his last four Championship appearances - as many as in his previous 55 league games combined.
  • Tammy Abraham has scored just once in Villa's last six games - the 21-goal top scorer's worst run since signing in August.
  • Since the start of the 2016-17 season, only Pablo Hernandez (27) has assisted more Championship goals than Villa midfielder Conor Hourihane (26).
  • After losing just two of their previous 110 Championship games after scoring the first goal, Boro have now lost two successive Championship matches after netting the first.