Villa pair face fitness race

Aston Villa’s Martin Laursen (knee) and Darius Vassell (ankle) have only been given a 50-50 chance of being fit to face Charlton in the Barclays Premiership at Villa Park tomorrow night.

Manager David O’Leary has put Eric Djemba-Djemba, who has been sidelined for a month by a hamstring problem, and rookie striker Gabriel Agbonlahor, who has yet to figure at first-team level, on alert for places on the bench.