ASTON VILLA manager Steve Bruce said yesterday that his side are “unlikely” to secure automatic promotion as the Championship season draws to an exciting climax.

With Wolves having sealed a return to the Premier League, Villa, Cardiff and Fulham are battling to claim the remaining automatic berth and avoid the play-offs.

Bruce’s fourth-placed side are the underdogs, but the former Manchester United defender can fall back on his experience of guiding Hull through the play-offs in 2016.

“I wouldn’t say the pressure is off when you’re chasing two teams because, when you play for Aston Villa, it’s always on you,” Bruce told a pre-match press conference before his side’s trip to Ipswich.

“But I’ve always said let’s enjoy the experience of being there and trying to catch the other two in contention. It’s unlikely, but, if we have to go down the play-off route, then let’s prepare and have a crack at them as well.

“I remember when I was with Hull and we went into them as the side without any momentum. Then we won the semi-final and the final. So there’s many permutations, but let’s focus on trying to get second and then we’ll deal with the play-offs.”