O’Leary gets major boost as Villa prepare to roll out Baros
Villa are on the verge of signing Liverpool striker Milan Baros after the Reds last night finally accepted an offer of around £6million (€8.8m).
O’Leary has been tracking the Czech international for several weeks as he looks to bolster a strike force of only two senior players, Kevin Phillips and Juan Pablo Angel, and will hope the move is concluded in time for Baros to debut in Saturday’s home clash with Blackburn.
In the meantime, Villa are boosted by the return of Phillips for tonight’s game after he recovered from the stomach strain that ruled him out of the weekend’s 1-0 loss at Manchester United.
Winger Nolberto Solano also returns to the starting line-up after beginning the game against United on the bench. But Villa are without midfielders Lee Hendrie (ban) and Patrik Berger (thigh) as well as knee injury victims, all defenders, Jlloyd Samuel, Mark Delaney and Martin Laursen.
Portsmouth manager Alain Perrin is unlikely to make significant changes for the home clash despite his side losing their first two games. Lomana LuaLua took a knock in the defeat at West Brom but is expected to pass a late test, while Perrin will keep faith in new goalkeeper Sander Westerveld despite recent costly errors.
Striker Collins Mbesuma will not be given a first-team start until September 10 as he builds up fitness, and Ivica Mornar is still sidelined by a hamstring injury.
Birmingham City will have Jiri Jarosik available for tonight’s home game with Middlesbrough after the Czech international completed his season-long loan switch from Chelsea.
City, though, will probably have to look for their first win of the new season without striker Emile Heskey. He is still struggling with a thigh injury which kept him out of Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat by Manchester City, when Mikael Forssell was forced to play despite being short of match fitness after his lengthy lay-off following knee surgery.
Nicky Butt, who scored on his home debut at the weekend, picked up a slight groin strain but Birmingham manager Steve Bruce is hopeful he will be fit, while Damien Johnson serves the last game of a four-match ban carried over from last season.
Middlesbrough centre-back Ugo Ehiogu returns from suspension but manager Steve McClaren faces problems elsewhere as Aiyegbeni Yakubu is out after requiring eight stitches for a gashed leg sustained in Saturday’s defeat at Tottenham. Fellow striker Szilard Nemeth has an ankle injury while Boro are also without summer signing Emanuel Pogatetz, Chris Riggott and Stuart Parnaby (both knee), Tony McMahon (dislocated shoulder), Malcolm Christie and Danny Graham (both leg fractures).
Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy is hoping for a boost on the injury front as he looks to end his side’s run of 17 Premiership defeats at home to Manchester City tonight.
Midfielders Tommy Miller and Liam Lawrence (both ankle) and keeper Kelvin Davis (thigh) are all expected to recover from knocks, while striker Jon Stead has recovered from flu.
Winger Andy Welsh will be included if the Black Cats get his red card at Anfield rescinded on appeal but George McCartney (hamstring) is a doubt while Stephen Wright and Colin Healy (both knee), Danny Collins (Achilles) and Kevin Kyle (hip cartilage) are all out.
City boss Pearce is expected to name an unchanged line-up as his side try to maintain their unbeaten start.
Danny Mills (shin) is the only minor doubt as City, unbeaten in 10 Premiership games, bid to achieve their best top-flight run since 1977.
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