Aston Villa winger Jack Grealish: 'I like getting kicked'

Aston Villa winger Jack Grealish has suggested that he does not mind being targeted by opposition defenders.

Grealish has emerged as a key player in Villa's bid to earn promotion to the Premier League, with the attacker contributing three goals and six assists in 28 appearances in the Championship.

The England Under-21 international is expected to feature in the second leg of the playoff tie with Middlesbrough on Tuesday night, and the player has invited attention from the North-East outfit with Villa holding a 1-0 lead from the first game.

The 22-year-old told The Telegraph: "I got a few kicks, but I don't mind getting kicked. I like it. I go on like I don't [during the game] but I do. It shows the opposition are keeping an eye on me.

"We've not done any celebrating, that would be like celebrating at half time in a normal game. We're happy, but it's half time. It's my first experience of the playoffs but quite a few of the other lads have been in it, so they can pass their experience on."

The winners of the fixture in the West Midlands will progress through to a final with Fulham at Wembley Stadium.