Premiership: Kachloul ruled out for Villa

Aston Villa midfielder Hassan Kachloul has been ruled out of tomorrow’s clash with Derby County at Pride Park.

Kachloul has only just returned to training after three weeks on the sidelines with a head injury.

He made a 45-minute appearance for the reserves in midweek, but manager John Gregory has hinted that he wants him to work on his match fitness before he will be ready for a recall.

Gregory is set to retain the side that beat Ipswich Town 2-1 on Monday their first win in seven league and cup games.

Villa are still without the injured quartet of Alpay, Kachloul, Ian Taylor and Mustapha Hadji. Winger David Ginola is also missing as he serves the second game of a three match ban.

Skipper Paul Merson, who formed a new strike partnership with two-goal Juan Pablo Angel against Ipswich, has challenged the team to end the year with four straight wins.

Merson said: ‘‘Hopefully we have got over our bad patch. The next three games are big ones, but they are also ones that we can win.

‘‘If we can beat Derby and then win the two home games we will be right up there.’’

Team (from): Schmeichel, Samuel, Mellberg, Staunton, Wright, Stone, Boateng, Hendrie, Barry, Merson, Angel, Dublin, Balaban, Vassell, Bewers, Enckleman.