Aston Villa manager Smith explains what he expects from Leeds this weekend

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The fortunes of Leeds United and Aston Villa could not be more different going into this Sunday’s meeting between the two sides at Elland Road.

Perhaps the two biggest clubs in the Championship look likely to be in the play-offs – raising the possibility they will meet again at Wembley next month – but having taken very different journeys.

Leeds have been around the automatic promotion race all season but look to be the odd one out with the three of them, Norwich City and Sheffield United simply not going into two, after consecutive defeats to Wigan and Brentford.

Meanwhile, Villa have rampaged up the league from a position in which it seemed their hopes of the top six were dashed, and are on a run of ten straight wins after Monday’s 1-0 victory over Millwall.

But speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Smith said he knows what to expect from Leeds in their final home league match of the regular season.

He said: “It’ll be a very tactical game, I’ve played them a couple of times this season. They’re going for the automatic positions so they’ll be going hell for leather, but we have to too because we want to maintain this run that we’re on, to continue it as best we can.

“It’s going to be a tough game, but we’ll have a couple of days off and then build up for that game.”

Leeds have to pick themselves up and go again after likely missing out on the top two, just as Fulham did last season, when they beat Villa at Wembley to seal promotion.