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Championship play-offs: Middlesbrough, Brentford, Norwich and Ipswich's key men

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Middlesbrough, Brentford, Norwich and Ipswich are set to battle it out for a place in the Championship play-off final at Wembley – but which players could make the difference for their side?

Aitor Karanka’s Middlesbrough are favourites ahead of their Friday night clash with Brentford having won the first leg 2-1 at Griffin Park, but Saturday’s showdown between East Anglian rivals Norwich City and Ipswich Town at Carrow Road is finely poised after a 1-1 draw at Portman Road.

Here, we pick a player from each side who could be key to their hopes of reaching the final.

Middlesbrough: Daniel Ayala

Goalscorer Daniel Ayala of Middlesbrough applauds the fans during the FA Cup Third Round match between Barnsley and Middlesbrough
Image: Daniel Ayala has impressed for Middlesbrough this season

Fernando Amorebieta’s late strike at Griffin Park gave Middlesbrough a 2-1 advantage for Friday’s return leg, and manager Aitor Karanka will demand a solid defensive performance as they look to finish the job at the Riverside Stadium.

Former Liverpool defender Daniel Ayala will be central to Karanka’s plans both literally and figuratively. The Spanish centre-back has led a back four which conceded fewer goals (37) and kept more clean sheets (21) than any other side in the Championship this season, and another shut-out against Mark Warburton’s men will put them into the play-off final.

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The likes of Patrick Bamford and Grant Leadbitter will give Brentford plenty to think about at the other end, but another commanding performance from Ayala could be even more important to Boro’s chances. The 6ft 3in defender is strong in the air – his 66.52 per cent success rate is the highest at the club – and he has also completed more interceptions (88) than any other Boro player.

Karanka described Ayala as a “Premier League central defender” back in November, and having established himself as one of the best outside the top flight, he might now get the chance to prove his manager right.

Brentford: Alex Pritchard

Alex Pritchard celebrates scoring his sides second goal
Image: Brentford's Alex Pritchard has shone on loan from Tottenham

Brentford’s Wembley hopes rest on whether they can unlock Middlesbrough’s defence, and Alex Pritchard could play a key role. The talented central midfielder has starred for the Bees this season, earning a place in the Championship Team of the Year and winning their Players’ Player of the Year award.

Pritchard is set to return to parent club Tottenham at the end of the campaign, but he would dearly love his final Brentford game to be the play-off final at Wembley. The 22-year-old has contributed 12 goals and seven assists this season, and only Huddersfield’s Jacob Butterfield and Birmingham’s David Cotterill created more than Pritchard’s 112 chances in the Championship.

The odds are against Brentford, and they were beaten 4-0 on their last visit to the Riverside back in September, but if Pritchard can stamp his authority on the game it could be a very different story this time around.

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Brentford 1-2 Middlesbrough: Highlights

Norwich City: Nathan Redmond

Nathan Redmond of Norwich City
Image: Nathan Redmond of Norwich City

Norwich’s top flight aspirations are hanging in the balance after an even first leg clash against their East Anglian rivals ended 1-1 at Portman Road. Saturday’s second leg is likely to be another close encounter, but in winger Nathan Redmond the Canaries have a player who could conjure up a moment of magic to win the tie.

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The England Under-21 international has impressed for Norwich this season, scoring four goals and laying on 12 assists – a total only bettered by Bournemouth’s Matt Richie and Brentford’s Alan Judge in the Championship. Redmond’s explosive pace and skill means he thrives in one-on-one situations. The 22-year-old has completed 102 dribbles this season, the third highest total in the Championship, and he is also fourth for chances created with 108.

Redmond has five assists and one goal in his last eight appearances, and he showed glimpses of his class in the first leg, playing more key passes (four) and completing more dribbles (three) than any of his team-mates. Ipswich left-back Tyrone Mings will be no pushover, but if Redmond finds space on that right-hand side he could be Norwich’s match-winner.

Ipswich Town: Freddie Sears

Ipswich's Freddie Sears celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Sky Bet Championship match at Portman Road, Ipswich.
Image: Ipswich striker Freddie Sears has scored five goals in his last eight games

Freddie Sears started the season in League One but he could end it in the Premier League. The 25-year-old never made it at boyhood club West Ham after scoring on his debut at the age of 18, but he has proved another shrewd Mick McCarthy signing since joining Ipswich from Colchester United in January.

Daryl Murphy is Ipswich’s main goal threat having top scored in the Championship with 27 goals, but his strike partner Sears has added nine goals of his own – five of which have come in the last eight games. What’s more, Sears’s 58.14 per cent shot accuracy and 20.93 per cent shot conversion rates are actually higher than Murphy’s.

Sears was not at his best in the first leg clash at Portman Road, but it was his initial effort which led Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy to spill the ball towards Paul Anderson for Ipswich’s equaliser. Another pivotal contribution from the speedy little striker on Saturday could send Ipswich to Wembley.

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Ipswich 1-1 Norwich: Highlights

Watch Middlesbrough v Brentford live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7.30pm on Friday, and watch Norwich v Ipswich live on Sky Sports 1 HD live from 12pm on Saturday.

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