We’ve finally arrived. The time for talking is over.
After a gruelling 48 matches, 90 more minutes stand between Aston Villa and a return to the Premier League.
A determined and talented Fulham side, who finished one place above them in the Championship table, stand in their way.
Villa, aided by the experience of such events throughout the playing and coach staff, negotiated their two-legged play-off semi final with Middlesbrough well - it was cagey, but the nous of Alan Hutton, Mile Jedinak and Jack Grealish, among others, saw them home and sent them to Wembley.
The tiring trips around the country, the Saturday-Tuesday schedule which demanded so much and the sufficient number of goals and victories have set Villa up for this afternoon - hopefully a sunny one! - at the home of football.
Will there be a result in 90 minutes? Will the match require extra time? Dare we say it: are we in for a nerve-shredding penalty shoot-out?
Whatever the outcome, everything and anything that does happen will be covered comprehensively as always from our team in Birmingham and at the stadium itself.
Make sure you stay tuned from the early morning until the late evening for full coverage, analysis, match action and reaction come the final whistle.
UTV!
Key Events
A change imminent?
Glenn Whelan is being put through his paces at half-time, as is Birkir Bjarnason.
With Villa chasing the game Mile Jedinak’s role almost goes out the window.
Fulham have barely played a long ball during that first half, which underlines why some people had doubts over the Australian’s inclusion.
Bruce has a big decision to make if things don’t improve quickly.
First 45
Disgusted
Tom Cairney was the goalscorer but it’s Ryan Fredericks who is the topic of discussion amongst Villa fans. The Fulham defender appeared to stamp on Jack Grealish and fans are amazed that he remained on the pitch.
Over to you Bruce
This is a big moment for Bruce. Villa have been so flat in the first half.
Whether it’s words or changes - or both - he’s got 45 minutes to save Villa’s Premier League dream.
It’s only 1-0, it can all change in a heartbeat, but Villa need to find their pulse.
HT: Fulham 1-0 Villa
Tom Cairney’s 23rd minute strike is the difference between the two sides at the break.
Villa have struggled to get to grips with Fulham’s passing and pressing style and they’ve been found wanting.
There’s boos from the Villa end as the players make their way into the dressing rooms.
Odoi booked (38)
Denis Odoi becomes Fulham’s first player to be booked after chopping down Villa talisman Jack Grealish.
The Brummie playmaker looked to break through the midfield but Odoi was taking no chances.
Robert Snodgrass takes the free-kick... SO CLOSE!
He chips it brilliantly in behind the Fulham wall and Grealish peels away and volleys over the bar. Excellent invention from Snoddy and Super Jack - Villa need more of that!
Horrible
Don’t know how he’s not been sent off there. Horrible tackle/stamp on the leg of Grealish.
Fulham have got very lucky there.
Lucky Fredericks
Dreadful challenge by Fredericks on Grealish as he appears to stamp on his shin when the Villa ace was on the floor.
He’s lucky not to be sent off for that.
Villa win a foul but that’s all.
Too easy
Villa need to crank it up. Not imposed themselves on this game at all.
Really tricky position now. Going to have to take risks to get back into it, with the danger of leaving the back door open.
Cheap goal to give away,
Plenty of time left, but it needs to be much better.
Too easy for Fulham at the moment
GOAL: Fulham 1-0 Villa (Cairney, 23)
There it is. It’s been coming over the last few minutes.
Ryan Sessegnon brilliantly takes down Johansen’s pass and slides Cairney in. Fulham’s skipper fires into the far corner first time. It was an excellent finish.
Villa’s fans are immediately trying to get behind their players and drown out the noise from the Fulham end.
There's hope...
Villa have sat back during the opening 15 minutes leading to Fulham seeing 72 per cent of the ball.
We’ve just seen the danger of Fulham’s overplaying though...
Goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli tried to find McDonald in midfield and Snodgrass cut it out and almost fed Adomah through on goal.
Villa’s game-plan, as expected, is to sit back and counter-attack Fulham.
Very deep
Villa sitting deep and trying to contain Fulham in these early stages.
No goal-mouth action yet but Villa haven’t been able to put many passes together.
Chester in the book early on for a foul on Mitrovic so he’ll have to be careful.
This looks like attack vs defensive drill at the moment. Fulham have had 73 per-cent of possession so far.
Royal visitor
Prince William is here of course. Had a prior engagement last week, apparently, that stopped him from watching the FA Cup final.
But he’s here to watch the Villa boys today.
Predictable pattern
Following a predictable pattern so far. Fulham seeing plenty of the ball. Villa holding their shape. Not had too much respite yet. Grabban seems like Villa’s best outball and Jedinak has looked for him a couple of times. Loads of noise from all around the ground. Chester’s yellow so early in the game is a worry.
Chester booked (9)
James Chester has been booked for a foul on Mitrovic. Anthony Taylor played advantage as Fulham were attacking, but it came to nothing. Chester, who gets married tomorrow, has to watch his step for the remaining 80 minutes.
It's off!
Mitrovic gets us underway! Fulham are kicking towards the Villa fans in the West End of Wembley Stadium.
Ear-splitting
Ear-splitting.
Talk about raising the roof! There’s some atmosphere here.
Fulham players gather in a huddle and are roundly jeered by the Villa wall of noise.
It’s happening.
Nervous? Just a bit.
Come on Villa!
Lungs
Here we go!
Steve Bruce and Slavisa Jokanovic lead the players out.
Bruce pats his players on the back as they walk past him and applauds the Villa fans.
John Terry is now introducing the EFL’s guests to each of the Villa starting XI.
The pre-match formalities are almost over!
Let's have it
Steve Bruce ready to lead the lads out.
Looks like a man who means business.
It’s all come down to this.
Let’s have it!!!
JT (hopefully) has a job on his hands!
Cheers Robbie
He is better known for being public enemy No.1 at Villa Park.
But Aston Villa have received a good luck message from Robbie Savage.
The former Birmingham City favourite, despised across the city since his feisty Second City derby days, took to Twitter to pass on his best to Villa.
Savage played under Bruce at Blues and he shared a positive message for his former boss ahead of the play-off final against Fulham at Wembley.
“Really hope villa win today for my old gaffa Brucey,” tweeted Savage.
“What he and his family have been through in recent times has been so tough, good luck Brucey and Villa.”
Massive roar
Massive roar of appreciation from the Villa fans as the players leave the pitch.
The next time they reappear, it’s game on, the big one.
One thing’s for sure, this claret and blue crowd are certainly going to do their bit.
Come on Villa!
Warm-ups complete
A huge roar echoes from the Villa end as Villa complete their warm-up.
Grealish sprints off down the tunnel first with the rest of the team labouring behind him.
The groundstaff now lay out the red carpet ready for the players to line-up for their pre-match pictures.
And now you can really feel the tension inside the ground.
Villa fans are so up for it but the nerves are there. It’s inevitable on such a big day.
Fulham's turn
Fulham’s pre-match songs don’t quite pack the same punch.
Boos from the Villa end echo out and Fulham cheers.
But, to be fair, the ‘White Wall’ is quite a sigh as flags are waved from the Cottagers’ end.
Just 20 minutes to go until kick-off now.
Announcing
Villa’s stadium announcer Dave Poulton is out on the Wembley pitch reading out the startine line-ups.
Huge cheers for Jack Grealish from the away end and boos for JT when his name was read out.
Now it’s Villa’s turn for their pre-match songs.
Ay-oh Aston Villa echoes around the national stadium.
Elmo
Ahmed Elmohamady was Villa’s only injury concern leading up to the Play-Off final but the Egyptian right-back has shaken of his hamstring injury to start at Wembley. It’s no surprise Steve Bruce hast brought him straight back into the fold, here he explains why.
The teams are out
Villa and Fulham are now beginning their warm-ups.
The Villa end is barely a quarter full but they’re already making plenty of noise with chants of ‘Villa, Villa, Villa’ as the players break into a light jog on the far side.
How Fulham line up
Slavisa Jokanovic has named an unchanged Fulham starting XI for today’s Wembley play-off final versus Aston Villa.
The Cottagers defeated Derby County 2-0 to book their place at Wembley two weeks ago thanks to goals from teenage sensation Ryan Sessegnon and Denis Odoi.
The only position in Fulham’s starting XI which has been up for grabs in recent weeks is that on the right of their front three.
Aboubakar Kamara got the nod in the semi-final second leg against the Rams and he has again been named alongside Sessegnon and Aleksandar Mitrovic today.
Fulham XI: Bettinelli; Fredericks, Odoi, Ream, Targett; McDonald, Cairney, Johansen; Kamara, Mitrovic, Sessegnon
Subs: Button, Fonte, Ayite, Norwood, Piazon, Christie, Kalas
How Villa line up
Aston Villa have received a major boost for today’s play-off final at Wembley as Ahmed Elmohamady makes the starting XI.
The Egyptian right-back was the only injury concern leading up to today’s clash but he has shaken off a hamstring injury to start.
Elsewhere Steve Bruce keeps faith with the players that helped get Villa over the line in the play-off semi-final which means that Mile Jedinak starts in midfield.
Villa XI: Johnstone, Elmohamady, Chester, Terry, Hutton, Snodgrass, Jedinak, Hourihane, Adomah, Grealish, Grabban
Subs: Bunn, Bree, Whelan, Bjarnason, Onomah Hogan, Kodjia.
