Villa and Fulham ring changes

Aston Villa and Fulham both made several changes for their Barclays Premiership match at Villa Park.

Villa boss David O’Leary restored Thomas Sorensen, Juan Pablo Angel, Nolberto Solano and Peter Whittingham to the starting line-up in place of Stefan Postma, Carlton Cole, Thomas Hitzlsperger and the injured Gareth Barry.

Sorensen had shaken off a back injury while Angel and Solano were back in the side after their exertions with Colombia and Peru had meant them being confined to the substitutes’ bench at Arsenal last weekend.

Fulham striker Andrew Cole was played as the lone striker in a 4-5-1 formation after returning from a four-game suspension.

Claus Jensen and Ian Pearce were also included while Tomasz Radzinski, Brian McBride and Adam Green were left out of the first XI of the side beaten 4-2 by Liverpool last weekend.

Aston Villa: Sorensen, De la Cruz, Mellberg, Delaney, Samuel, Solano, McCann, Hendrie, Whittingham, Angel, Vassell. Subs: Hitzlsperger, Postma, Cole, Ridgewell, Davis.

Fulham: Van der Sar, Volz, Knight, Pearce, Bocanegra, Boa Morte, Diop, Jensen, Pembridge, Malbranque, Cole. Subs: Crossley, McBride, John, Radzinski, Rehman.

Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire)