Jack Grealish believes Aston Villa's experience in last year's play-off final can give the team great confidence going into Sunday's Carabao Cup final against Manchester City.
Grealish captained the Birmingham outfit to a 2-1 victory over Frank Lampard's Derby County back in May, with goals coming from current squad players Anwar El Ghazi and John McGinn.
Even though the team in claret and blue will be heavy underdogs, Grealish believes that their big-game experience will put Villa in good stead.
Speaking to the EFL's official website, he said:
"We’re all really looking forward to it, and I mean everyone – it’s a big day out for the club and the fans. Hopefully, we can put a smile on their faces.
“Everyone knows what the Villa fans are like and how good they are. At Wembley last year, they played a massive part, and I have no doubt they’ll be loud and proud again at the weekend.
"It’s up to us to give them something to shout about."
The play of the Solihull man will be crucial to whether Villa will be able to pull off the big upset. The quality that Grealish has showcased this season has led to rumours of a big-money move in the summer and a call-up to Gareth Southgate's England squad for Euro 2020.
Aston Villa will have to prove that they're more than a one-man show though, and Grealish believes that the team spirit that the squad has will drive the team on.
“We have a good team, a good squad, a good dressing room," he added. "The staff are brilliant here too; everyone plays a part, and it helps.
"From the manager down to the players and the staff, there’s a team spirit, and it can only help on days like these.
“Our WhatsApp group, ‘Ty’s Mortgages’, is still going strong! Everyone knows about Tyrone Mings' past [as a mortgage advisor] and he’s spoken about it a fair bit.
"It’s just a bit of banter between the lads, really. Little things like that help the team spirit."
The Carabao Cup final between Aston Villa and Manchester City kicks off this Sunday at 4:30pm.
Source: 90min
