Aston Villa are set to prepare for their play-off campaign with a clash against high-flying Norwich City on Sunday afternoon.

Dean Smith's side have mustered a highly impressive run of form in recent weeks, with their 1-1 draw against Leeds United bringing an end to a ten-match winning run.

However, this remarkable winning streak has now taken the pressure off Villa ahead of the play-offs. They have already guaranteed their place in the top six, while they also effectively cannot move higher or lower than in their final match of the season.

The meeting with Norwich does promise to provide a stern test ahead of the play-offs, where they will most likely meet with Midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion.

But given their current situation, Sunday's clash with Norwich at Villa Park does not hold much meaning for Dean Smith's side. This means the Villa boss should be looking to rest his key players ahead of the semi-finals in May.

It is particularly important that Smith does not risk midfielder John McGinn who is currently sitting on an ominous 14 yellow cards, which means one more booking could see him ruled out for three matches.

This would be a huge blow for Villa as the Scottish midfielder has been a regular during this campaign, and has been a vital cog in their unbeaten run.

He has made 40 appearances for the Midlands side, registering six goals and 10 assists in the process, so it is pivotal he is available for the play-offs.

McGinn has previously had discipline issues, as he picked up 18 bookings when playing for Hibernian last season, and it is essential he does not let this overshadow his key role in the Villa side.

The Scottish midfielder has flourished alongside Villa's star man Jack Grealish, and the duo have now developed a solid rhythm ahead of the all-important matches in May.

Villa will be strong favourites heading into their clashes with West Brom, but Smith must ensure he manages this dilemma with sensible foresight in order to give his side the best possible chance of a Wembley showdown.