Soccer: Vassell faces sideline spell

Aston Villa striker Darius Vassell is facing the prospect of a spell on the sidelines with a knee injury - but manager John Gregory is hoping the England Under-21 player will be able to delay the operation until the New Year.

Vassell is suffering from medial ligament damage, although this has not stopped him from establishing himself as Gregory’s first-choice striker in the opening three months of the season.

But he was forced to miss both legs of the Under-21 European Championship play-off with Holland after Gregory admitted he probably should not have played Vassell in the FA Barclaycard Premiership game at Newcastle two weeks ago.

Gregory is looking for Vassell to play through the next six weeks before going under the knife in the hope that summer signing Bosko Balaban will be match-fit and fully acclimatised by then following his move from Dynamo Zagreb.

The Villa chief, who confirmed that Vassell would start Saturday’s home game with Middlesbrough, said: ‘‘Darius has got medial ligament problems which flare up from time to time.

‘‘He might well need surgery in the long term. He might have to go in and have a tidy-up job which will probably put him out for a minimum of four weeks.

‘‘But it is about getting the timing right. With the programme we have got ahead of us, I want to try and get him through the next six weeks before anything may happen.’’