Aston Villa (from): Carson, Taylor, Gardner, Knight, Laursen, Bouma, Agbonlahor, Reo-Coker, Barry, Young, Petrov, Berger, Osbourne, Carew, Maloney, Harewood, Salifou.

Craig Gardner is ready to help Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill out of a right-back dilemma by being fit for Saturday's Barclays Premier League visit of Sunderland. The England Under-21 player has returned to training this week after missing the 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth with a back problem suffered against Middlesbrough in the previous game. Gardner is set to replace Olof Mellberg, who serves a one-game ban for his sending-off for two bookable offences at Fratton Park. O'Neill has no other fresh injury worries as Villa look to get back on course for Europe after three games without a win.

Sunderland (from): Gordon, Fulop, Bardsley, Collins, McShane, Evans, Higginbotham, Harte, Whitehead, Reid, Leadbitter, Edwards, Miller, Richardson, O'Donovan, Jones, Waghorn, Murphy, Stokes, Chopra, Prica.

Sunderland boss Roy Keane's injury worries are easing ahead of the clash. Dickson Etuhu is still missing with a knee problem, but Anthony Stokes has recovered from illness and may return. Daryl Murphy, Kieran Richardson and Michael Chopra, who all missed out on last week's 1-0 home defeat by Chelsea, could also return to the squad.