Mings the merciless! Enforcer in fine form as Villa get set to face Derby in fight for Premier league spot

He has looked the part every time he has pulled on the famous colours of Aston Villa. Powerful central defender Tyrone Mings has come across every inch a Premier League player as he has gone about his business helping the Villa Park outfit to the brink of the top flight following their victory over West Bromwich Albion in the Championship play-off semi-final.

Now the stage is truly set for Mings as manager Dean Smith’s men head to Wembley for the crucial play-off final against Derby County, who reached the make-or-break match with a thrilling win over Leeds United. Villa or the Rams? It’s a hard one to call and fans up and down the country will be splashing the cash as they bet on who they think will come out victorious. You can too. Bookmakers have Aston Villa at 6/5 and Derby at 12/5, where as draw has 21/10 odds. Mason Bennett has odds of 7/1 to score the first goal of the match and Jack Grealish has 17/2 odds to score first for Villa. Some bookies have Aston Villa at 5/6 to be promoted to the Premier League and Derby 12/1. So why not have a look and find out what the current favourite free bet promotions and bonuses are and take a punt on who is going to win what is billed as the most lucrative game in football. At stake for Villa and Derby is a cool £170 million.

It can be argued, of course that Mings has looked a class act and one who belongs in the Premier League because, strictly speaking, he is already a Premier League player. The no-nonsense defender, who is aged 26, belongs to AFC Bournemouth and has been on loan at Villa from the Cherries.

What seems clear, after a string of classy, strong and efficient displays, is that one way or another Mings will be playing his football in the top-flight next season. Because either Villa will keep him or Dean Court boss Eddie Howe will recall him to bolster his rear guard.

But one Villa ace who remains confident that Mings will represent Villa next season is attacker John McGinn, who says the enforcer has been in fine form since he made the loan move back in January.

He said:

“Tyrone has been different class since he joined in January. It took us ages to get him! He is a colossus at the back. I just don’t know how he does not get a game for Bournemouth. If we can keep hold of Ty in the Premier League, if we get there, it would be brilliant for the club.”

In Villa’s way is a Derby side managed superbly by former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard. And the ex-Blues ace says says steering the Rams to the play-off final is as good as achieving the assorted highs that he experienced as such a top-notch player.

He said:

“In terms of personal achievement, the feeling is as much as I’ve had in football. It’s not the personal achievement of being able to win stuff at Chelsea, but in terms of how I feel right now, it’s up there.

“I was fortunate in my playing career in the Champions League, winning leagues. But when you come here at the start of the season and you feel the club and the fans and the position the club were in, to be here tonight, they’re heroes.”